An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. Steve (Greek) Antonopulos was the first one. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. During an interview with The Denver Post, retiring Broncos director of sports medicine Steve Greek Antonopulos was asked for his favorite memories since joining the team in 1976: In October 1977, the Broncos traveled to face the defending Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders, who had won 17 consecutive games dating back to the previous season. The weather was awful. Genuine compassiondoes not stokepipe dreams but conveys the everyday dignity owed to any man, especially for the players attempting to secure a livelihood for their families to leap from ongoing poverty to sustained prosperity. All three are full training camp participants. #NGWSD. When I see a player incurring a major injury withering in pain on the field, I am seeing most the emotional agony and fear of uncertainty. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. I love being around young people who keep me young. 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. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. * A guy we think can get better and better. but it can also be stressful. 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). 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. He had a fear of flying. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. Athletic trainers often work more than 12 hours a day and are required to travel with the team for away games and/or training camp. Ill always be a Bronco.. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. He closed the door and he went nuts again. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. 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. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. During his tenure, Antonopulos picked up the following accolades: NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award and the NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award. He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! I love caring for people. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. As he would watch games with his father and neighbors, he would say to himself, Someday, somehow, someway, Im going to work for the Denver Broncos.. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. Sleeting. Not a member? He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. 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. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. It wasnt really an injury. ", 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.". After Greeks retirement was announced, team president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement: 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. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Steve Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Your login session has expired. He is also fully practicing. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . Allen called me the first week of July. 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. 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.. I love the challenges that are presented each day. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. Denver will rename the training room at UCHealth Training Center the Steve "Greek" Antonopulos Training Room and will recognize the trainer at a home game this season. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. 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. For 45 years, athletic trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has been the epitome of what the Denver Broncos are all about.Greek, there arent words to describe the impact youve had on our organization, and we wish you nothing but the very best in retirement!#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/HAKN6t7S7P. Their athletic body movements express their identity. 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. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. The Broncos announced Wednesday that longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has been promoted to the team's director of sports medicine, where he will oversee all. There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. You have the passion to do it. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. 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. 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. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. 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. It was phenomenal. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The doctor that gave him the physical was Arthur Pappas, one of the Red Sox owners, and he took us over to Fenway Park and I still have the picture of John and myself at home plate. "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. The Drive was so special. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. 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.. Allen called me the first week of July. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. Antonopulos, who called Bowlen the ultimate owner, was selected by the Bowlen family in 2019 to present Pat at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, James to join Ravens, files grievance vs. Broncos, Ranking the 25 biggest position upgrades of the NFL offseason, NFL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, plus which players benefited most from the draft, Covered Broncos for nine years for Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, Previously covered Steelers, Bills and Titans, Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame Board. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. A native of Hugo and graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Antonopulos first joined the Broncos in 1976 as assistant trainer to Allen Hurst. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. 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.. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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.. 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. The Moving can be an exciting experience. In the playoffs after the 1986 season, the Broncos traveled to Cleveland to win the AFC championship game in overtime, highlighted by The Drive to end regulation. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. Could they look to sign a veteran? Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. "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. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. What a run. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Since the former Fort Hays head athletic trainer launched his NFL career, a lot has changed in the sport and in the world of athletic training, but Antonopulos' career had such remarkable longevity because he constantly worked to keep up with updating practices and help shape the evolving field. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Sleeting. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. But according to those who know him well, Greeks domain also contains a rare element in the Not For Long professional football league: an endless supply of unsentimental, deep compassion. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. I woke him up. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . No one cared more about the players than Greek. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. Broncos long time trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos retires, Horse Tracks: Potential Broncos Cap Casualties in 2023, 3 players the Broncos should consider cutting to make more cap room for the 2023 free agent class. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. The two went on to lead theteam in tackles lastseason. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Is the job worth the derision? 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. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Your login session has expired. 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. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". Antonopulos, whose office was routinely owner Pat Bowlen's first stop each morning when Bowlen arrived to work, is the longest-tenured employee in the franchise's history and is the only employee to have been with the Broncos for each of the team's eight Super Bowl trips. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. The doctor that gave him the physical was Arthur Pappas, one of the Red Sox owners, and he took us over to Fenway Park and I still have the picture of John and myself at home plate. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. 41-yrs! pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. 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. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. 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. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. Florida's Anthony Richardson, one of the draft's most intriguing QB prospects, told reporters on Friday that in high school he modeled his game after two notable passers: Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. He was special the way he handled it., The continued advancement of therapeutic exercises and the concussion protocols and the NFL hiring medical liaisons has been crucial in advancement of doing things the right way. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. 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. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. Rainy. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Steve Antonopulos Head Athletic Trainer at Denver Broncos Parker, Colorado, United States 7 connections Join to connect Denver Broncos University of Northern Colorado Report this profile.
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