By Tim Lynch @TimLynch1978 Jun 7, 2021, 8:50am MDT Share this story. Greek in his own words,as told to the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers: The worst part of the job is seeing players devastated by being injured. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. His influence on this franchise, the athletic training profession and throughout sports is far-reaching, mentoring countless interns and staff who went on to accomplish great things. He got $26.4 million without playing a down for the Colts last year 32 percent more than his first-year salary with the Broncos. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos in a move CEO Joe Ellis called a no-brainer given his long run with the franchise. He was a fixture on our sidelines for the greatest moments in team history, the first person running on the field to care for an injured player and the one who supported them through every step of their recovery. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. Antonopulos and his wife, Susan, have a blended family of five kids and seven grandkids and will split their time between homes in Limon., and Tucson, Ariz., and driving their RV to visit family. "As a proud native Coloradoan, Greek loved the Broncos and gave everything he had to the job, arriving most days before 4:30 a.m. and keeping that same passion throughout his entire career. The Drive was so special. The elation and what historically happened there for the Broncos was unbelievable., The old Kingdome in Seattle was a great place because of the crowd noise and it was a good place to travel. Legendary Broncos Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos Retires He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. The worst locker room in the NFL to a point where we had to tape our athletes in the bathroom if you could imagine that, the locker room was so small. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. In this job, Ive always tried to give all I can as a father and grandfather, but its hard because your time is so confined, he said. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. For me, Ill always remember Antonopulos for the clips he dominated from Super Bowl 32 when Terrell Davis went down with a migraine in the second quarter. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. Antonopulos applied for the job and Hurst reached out to have breakfast in Denver when Fort Hays was coming through town between basketball games at Northern Colorado and Southern Colorado (now CSU-Pueblo). During his time as a trainer, the Denver Broncos posted a 438-311-1 record. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos, honor him at a Broncos game. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Antonopulos forged strong relationships with coaches and players alike and had a particularly close bond with late owner Pat Bowlen, who bought the Broncos in 1984. Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Antonopulos, 72, started working for the Broncos on St. Patricks Day 1976 as an assistant trainer, was promoted to director of rehabilitation in 80, to head athletic trainer in 81 and was director of sports medicine since 2016. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. On April 28, moments after the selection of Gotsis, the Broncos draft headquarters was ecstatic, as tweeted by public relations vice president Patrick Smyth: Broncos GM John Elway, HC Gary Kubiak & DL coach Bill Kollar celebrate selection of DT Adam Gotsis in 2nd rd. He is the teams 12th man. In this job, Ive always tried to give all I can as a father and grandfather, but its hard because your time is so confined, he said. A motto for Antonopulos was Defend My Desk., When a new owner or coach was hired, he said: They come in and have 100 things going on and what they dont need is somebody trying to make an appointment and promote themselves. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. He had a fear of flying. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. Denver Broncos Long-Time Athletic Trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. That poor guy. John Elway reflects on Steve Antonopulos' 45 years with the Broncos 41-yrs! You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Greek has four assistants and many intern athletic trainers. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. Be the first one to comment on this story. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. At the moment it is week-by-week. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976, became head athletic trainer in 1981 and was promoted to the role of director of sports medicine in 2016. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. Ill always be a Bronco.. Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with franchise, As Broncos wrap up stay at NFL Combine, busy offseason of change churns toward free agency, draft, Broncos check in No. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the only person to be a part of all eight Broncos Super Bowl appearances. ", Broncos coach Vic Fangio said following Monday's OTA practice: "45 years of service to one organization is unheard of in the NFL, and that speaks volumes to his competency and the value he brought to this organization over such a long period of time.". Denver Broncos laud retiring trainer Steve Antonopulos, 72, 'a fixture Steve Greek Antonopulos, the only person to work for the Broncos during each of their eight Super Bowl appearances, announced Monday he is retiring after 45 seasons of service. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. I love being around young people who keep me young. In July 2016, Antonopulos began the road to retirement when he took on a new role and Vince Garcia was promoted to head athletic trainer. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. Once I get up to Denver and visit with the team doctors, they can check out my knee and do all of that, and then we can go from there. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Smith runs second-fastest 40 by DL since 03, Saleh compares Carr to Stafford pre-Rams trade, Allen to be ready to roll for offseason program, How to maximize leverage of No. https://t.co/2uuh4JmP6H#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/VljaBUgaTn, Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis told Ryan OHalloran of The Denver Post. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Coach Gary Kubiaks unflappable reaction to the season-ending knee injury of starting defensive end Vance Walker on Tuesday was based on his confidence of the Denver Broncos reserve depth at the position. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Broncos' long time trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires His career with the team began in 1976 and spanned all eight of the teams Super Bowl appearances, 10 general managers, and three and a half team owners. Antonopulos graduated from Northern Colorado with bachelors and masters degrees and was working as the head trainer and a physical education teacher at Fort Hays (Kan.) State in 1976 when a Johnson & Johnson representative told him about an opening to be Hursts only assistant. Aftersigning his $24.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears during the offseason,the NFL tweeted this about Trevathan: Knee injury.Knee injury.Knee injury.Big contract? Antonopulos and his wife, Susan, have a blended family of five kids and seven grandkids and will split their time between homes in Limon., and Tucson, Ariz., and driving their RV to visit family. Steve Greek Antonopulos, the only person to work for the Broncos during each of their eight Super Bowl appearances, announced Monday he is retiring after 45 seasons of service. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. I always thought that might zing me one day.. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Will they play well again? He was very straight forward, he was very honest and he was a really good communicator in that he has a good bedside manner in a position where that is obviously required.. Applauding him as "an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years," Denver bid farewell Monday to director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos, who retired at 72 years old. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . I have always respected the fact that Steve is the kind of person that will look you in the eye and tell you what he is thinking and commit to his word. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. During John Elway's 16-year playing career and his decade leading the Broncos' front office, he was able to rely on Director of Sports Medicine Steve "Greek" Antonopulos for a lot. It's an annual position that becomes even more demanding during training camp and the season. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. What a run. I work for a great organization that cares about people. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. As the only person in the history of the Broncos to be part of all eight Super Bowls, Greek made a profound impact on this organization. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. > Top stories curated daily just for you! Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who has served 45 years in the Broncos organization and was a part of the franchise's three Super Bowl victories, is retiring. The players arrive for treatment at 6:30 a.m., and the player meetings start around 8:15 a.m. We have long-term rehabs while players are in meetings. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. Vince Garcia. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Listen, I really appreciate you calling me. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. All three are full training camp participants. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. Broncos president Joe Ellis saidthis to Daniel Petty of the Denver Post about the announcement of owner Pat Bowlens retirement due to Alzheimers in 2014: The night before, I thought of people who were so close to him in the organization and needed to know before the announcement came out the next day. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. You have the passion to do it. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. We thought it would be (quick). Register now! An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. Hes been here north of 37 years, and every day, Mr. Bowlen started his day, by parking in the garage, coming up through the steps and stopping by Greeks office and chatting with him. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 and retired in 2021 as the teams director of sports medicine. That poor guy. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/08/denver-broncos-news-steve-greek-antonopulos-retires-as-trainer/, 17 Broncos players set to become unrestricted free agents, 5 players Broncos might consider trading this offseason, 8 players Broncos should let walk during NFL free agency, 5 Broncos players who could become cap casualties this offseason, Broncos want to re-sign free agent LB Alex Singleton, Every time the Broncos have used a franchise tag in the past, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. Be the first one to comment on this story. Athletic trainers are the first on the field when an NFL player is injured, and in the case of a serious injury, they have to use quick decision-making to treat the player immediately. He closed the door and he went nuts again. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. Quarterback Mike White said he'd like to return to the New York Jets, but knows it might not happen as he heads toward free agency. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. Here's a look. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. Do NFL teams have team nurses? How much do the medical - AS USA Gambling problem? Broncos head trainer Steve Antonopulos, who is in his 40th season with the team, was presented with a painting created by noted artist Gabe Richesson. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. Greek received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, and began his athletic trainer career at Fort Hays State University in Kansas in 1973, working there until 1976. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Few peoplenoticed that Smyth also tweeted this on the first day of the NFL draft: https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2016/08/17/steve-greek-antonopulos-is-the-broncos-12th-man/, Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional, reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway, 17 Broncos players set to become unrestricted free agents, 5 players Broncos might consider trading this offseason, 8 players Broncos should let walk during NFL free agency, 5 Broncos players who could become cap casualties this offseason, Broncos want to re-sign free agent LB Alex Singleton, Every time the Broncos have used a franchise tag in the past, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Longtime Broncos athletic trainer, Director of Sports Medicine Steve Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. Steve Antonopulos reaches out to injured linebacker Nick Greisen in Englewood, Colo., on Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. cant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right, Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, 'Greek' Antonopulos: Presenting Bowlen for HOF has been emotional time, 'Greek' on man he will present to HOF: 'Mr. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Antonopulos started with the Broncos as an assistant athletic trainer in 1976, became the team's director of rehabilitation in 1979 and was hired as Denver's head athletic trainer in 1980. Steve Antonopulos - Head AT - Denver Broncos | ZoomInfo Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. The elation and what historically happened there for the Broncos was unbelievable., The old Kingdome in Seattle was a great place because of the crowd noise and it was a good place to travel. Not a member? Athletic trainers with little to no experience make just above $30,000 each year, which, in regards to the amount of work and responsibility that athletic trainers have, may not seem like a lot of money. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. Could they look to sign a veteran? Those things are unbelievable and the number of great people and great minds of technology was phenomenal with what you can do for the medical care of football players., Without question, it was our second year here (1984) and he had to go in the offseason to Boston for a Lloyds of London insurance policy. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. They required him to go there for a physical. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. (Kicker) Jim Turner caught a (25-yard) touchdown pass on a fake field goal (from holder Norris Weese) and (linebacker) Tom Jackson went over and gave the bird to (coach) John Madden. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos - Denver Broncos We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. Is the job worth the derision? He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. The weather was awful. As a proud native Coloradoan, Greek loved the Broncos and gave everything he had to the job, arriving most days before 4:30 a.m. and keeping that same passion throughout his entire career. It wasnt really an injury. Steve has been an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years and became one of the most respected athletic training professionals in all of sports. Six of Pat Bowlen's children and presenter Steve Antonopulos at the longtime Broncos owner's inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. "the Greek" and considered by many of his peers as tops in his profession, has worked for coaches Red Miller, Dan Reeves, Wade Phillips and Mike Shanahan as the Bronco. but it can also be stressful. We were taxing to take off and he just went nuts and jumped out of his seat and was screaming and the pilot pulled up, opened the door and let him get a breath. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. They required him to go there for a physical. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. Vince Garcia, Denvers head athletic trainer, will presumably be a strong candidate to replace Greek. Download the 9NEWS APPiTunes:http://on9news.tv/itunesGoogle Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. 1. There are team physicians, such as head team physician Martin Boublik of Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver. (Kicker) Jim Turner caught a (25-yard) touchdown pass on a fake field goal (from holder Norris Weese) and (linebacker) Tom Jackson went over and gave the bird to (coach) John Madden. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. We thought it would be (quick). With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Antonopulos forged strong relationships with coaches and players alike and had a particularly close bond with late owner Pat Bowlen, who bought the Broncos in 1984. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Greeks relationship with him was very personal he helped Pat on a lot of different matters, but he was very helpful giving Pat help throughout the season on where his team was at and it was an honest assessment at all times, which was important to Pat..
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