Meet Dr. Rich Diana

Video Transcript

High School athletic and academic success led Hamden’s Rich Diana to Yale University where he graduated cum laude in molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. His record setting football career garnered him All-American status alongside Hall of Fame players Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker. He finished in the Top 10 Heisman Trophy balloting; The National Football Foundation named in one of 11 National Scholar-Athletes while the college sports information directors in GTE named him an Academic All-American.

[“To Rich Diana, at the 25, Diana spins away at the 30 to 35, he’s all at the head of everybody. Rich Diana, he’s at the 30 of {inaudible} There’s nobody going to catch him. Rich Diana is {inaudible} 80 yards. Touchdown run, for his {inaudible} in the afternoon”.]

During College Spring semesters, Rich balanced his football career with a similar all-ivy baseball career, where he set school records for home runs and runs batted in. After graduating from Yale, the Miami Dolphins drafted Rich where he played for legendary NFL Hall of Fame coach Don Shula in Super Bowl 17. Coach Shula once called him one of his all-time favorite players.

[“Diana. Inside the 10-yard line. 5’9, 220-pound record shattering running back… Speed. Diana, a rookie from Yale.]

After his NFL career, Rich attended Yale Medical School and completed his Orthopedic residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. He then completed an Orthopaedic Sports Medicine fellowship with legendary Boston Red Sox team physician Dr. Arthur Pappas. He remained on the Red Sox medical staff for 5 years. Fellowship trained and American Board of Orthopaedic surgery certified, Dr. Diana has been a managing partner of Connecticut Orthopaedics since 1993. He specializes in treating sports injuries, providing arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery to pros and Weekend Warriors young and old alike. He’s provided consulting services to the University of Florida, Notre Dame, Boston College, Yale, Quinnipiac and numerous other colleges and local high schools. He’s performed over 8,000 surgeries and recently wrote the book Healthy Joints for Life, published by Harlequin. As an athlete, he was always known for having great hands, vision, and dedication to the task at hand. As a doctor, those same traits have been the Hallmark of his career. Meet former Yale All-American, Miami Dolphin, and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Rich Diana.