Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. He held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? Their grandparents often move better in that instant. but it can also be stressful. 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. Steve Antonopulos - Head AT - Denver Broncos | ZoomInfo 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. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. 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. Gambling problem? Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. Kentucky's Will Levis, a likely top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spoke Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and -- in under 15 minutes -- presented himself as arguably the most self-assured QB in this year's class. The Moving can be an exciting experience. 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. 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 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. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They required him to go there for a physical. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. So I called him. Allen called me the first week of July. Their athletic body movements express their identity. Broncos trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. It was dreary. (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. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 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. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Watch the Broncos tribute video to Greek, especially Gary Kubiaks words on how much Greek personally means to him: Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos celebrates 40 years of service with the Denver Broncos https://t.co/whCCXn6cFk. 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. Here's everything we know, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Top QB prospect Levis eager to unleash 'cannon', Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), 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. It wasnt really an injury. More Videos We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 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. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. 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. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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? Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos is the Broncos' 12th man Through the Years: The illustrious career of Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). During his time as a trainer, the Denver Broncos posted a 438-311-1 record. 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.. 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. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. 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. 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. 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. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. But athletic trainers, as well as strength and conditioning coaches, also seem to be the first staff members to be blamed when an NFL team suffers numerous injuries. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. 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.. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. How much do athletic trainers make in the NFL? - Sportskeeda In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Steve (Greek) Antonopulos was the first one. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. I love caring for people. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. 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. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Over the past 45 years, Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has been a welcoming presence in the Broncos' training rooms at the team's practice facilities, home and road stadiums and training camp locales none more so . All three are full training camp participants. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. We thought it would be (quick). I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. 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.. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. Of . Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. 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. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. He was Bowlen's presenter when Bowlen was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2019. Broncos director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has been selected by the family of owner Pat Bowlen to present him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio. Denver Broncos Long-Time Athletic Trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos The Drive was so special. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. They required him to go there for a physical. The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. I told him that, and he said. I love the energy required to survive in this game. 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. I always thought that might zing me one day.. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. Steve Antonopulos - Head Athletic Trainer - Denver Broncos - LinkedIn A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. 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. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. 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. Toward the end Elways ripped bicep. Among his career accolades are the Fain-Cain Memorial Award (2011), an honor bestowed to trainer who exemplifies long-term commitment to the NFL, the NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award (1987), the National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award (1996) and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2006). John Elway reflects on Steve Antonopulos' 45 years with the Broncos He is the teams 12th man. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. Steve Antonopulos - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. I love the challenges that are presented each day. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. I love being around young people who keep me young. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. 41-yrs! A native of North Dakota and graduate of Kansas State, OHalloran previously covered the Washington Redskins for eight years, primarily at The Washington Times, and the Jacksonville Jaguars for six years at The Florida Times-Union. 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. Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons He closed the door and he went nuts again. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. The next, crippled. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with franchise - The Denver Post Sports NFL Denver Broncos News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by. The Drive was so special. 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. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. 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. 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. "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 treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game 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.. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. 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. Vince Garcia, Denvers head athletic trainer, will presumably be a strong candidate to replace Greek. 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. And he played the whole game. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. He closed the door and he went nuts again. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. 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. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. FILE - Denver Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos, center, talks with staff members during drills at the team's NFL football training camp in Englewood, Colo., in this July 19, 2019, file photo. 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. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. We thought it would be (quick). 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Be the first one to comment on this story. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. Why is Steve Antonopulos retiring? - Sportskeeda In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Ill always be a Bronco.. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. 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.