Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta Continues 18-Year Partnership with Aflac Kickoff Game
ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta will continue to serve as the official orthopedic and sports medicine partner of the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game, marking the 18th year of their partnership with the event. The 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game, scheduled for Saturday, September 5, will feature the Baylor Bears and Auburn Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET and national coverage on ABC.
Baylor will make its first appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game, while Auburn returns for its fourth. The matchup will be the sixth between the two teams, with the current series standing at 2-2-1.
Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta, one of the largest orthopedic and sports medicine practices in the Southeast, will provide comprehensive musculoskeletal care through a team of orthopedic surgeons, specialists, physical therapists, and athletic trainers. The practice has a long history of caring for student-athletes and high-level athletes, aiming to support them from practice through game day.
Dr. Todd Schmidt, an orthopedic surgeon and Medical Director for the Aflac Kickoff Game, stated, "Our team is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the Aflac Kickoff Game and to support the athletes competing in Atlanta. We've had the privilege of caring for student-athletes at every Aflac Kickoff Game since the inaugural event in 2008, and we're honored to continue that tradition."
As the official orthopedic and sports medicine provider, Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta will offer comprehensive medical support to the teams throughout the weekend, including orthopedic care, injury evaluation, and physician coverage during team activities, practices, and the game.
The Aflac Kickoff Game, a premier neutral-site college football season opener, brings nationally recognized programs to Atlanta to begin the college football season. The 2026 event will be the sixth meeting between Baylor and Auburn.
Additionally, Aflac and Peach Bowl, Inc. will continue their "Kickoff for a Cause" initiative, which has raised more than $1.2 million for communities served by the organizations and supports children and families facing pediatric cancer.
Dr. Donald Fowler, co-medical director of the Aflac Kickoff Game and an orthopedic surgeon with Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta, said, "Sports medicine is at the heart of what we do, and partnerships like the Aflac Kickoff Game give our physicians and athletic trainers the opportunity to support athletes on one of college football's biggest stages. We are honored to continue this longstanding partnership and to provide the expert care athletes need from the moment they arrive in Atlanta through game day."
Peach Bowl, Inc. President and CEO David Epps expressed excitement, saying, "We're excited to have Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta back with us as we kick off another college football season. For more than 20 years, they've been a trusted partner, providing outstanding care and medical support for the student-athletes who take the field in our games."
Piedmont Orthopedics | OrthoAtlanta, a physician-owned practice, offers a comprehensive approach to musculoskeletal care, serving more than 80 physicians across 27 offices. The practice provides a full range of services including on-site physical therapy, pain management care, MRI imaging centers, and workers' compensation coordination.