Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? 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. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. He depended on him for help recovering from injuries, advice on health concerns when evaluating players and, often, simply the friendship that they cultivated over . 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. 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"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. A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. 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.. 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. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. (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. Antonopulos, 72, was a constant factor in the Broncos long run of success over the last 4+ decades treating and working with every single player Denver employed over those years. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. "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. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. 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. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. 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. 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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. "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," said team President and CEO Joe Ellis. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. 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. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. 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. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. That poor guy. 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. * A guy we think can get better and better. 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. Your login session has expired. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. 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. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. 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). Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Not only did the club pick up Gotsis in the draft, but the Broncos chose running back Devontae Booker, who recently had two surgical procedures on a torn meniscus. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. #NGWSD. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Their athletic body movements express their identity. 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.. What a run. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie quarterback in 1983 and spent well over two decades with the franchise himself, has joked that Antonopulos was with the Broncos before the orange and blue in the uniforms. Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. 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 first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. 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. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. Bowlen was football first, business second'. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. 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. 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. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. Of . He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. 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. There is another player meeting from 3 to 4 p.m. Post practice treatments follow until we are done at approximately 6 p.m. On game day, Greek arrives very early as well. 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.. His physical was first thing in the morning. I love the challenges that are presented each day. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. 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. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. 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. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. Steve (Greek) Antonopulos was the first one. 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. 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. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . 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 highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. In all he was on the sideline for 941 games (preseason, regular season and postseason) and worked for 13 different head coaches. | . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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.. 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. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Listen, I really appreciate you calling me. 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. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). 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. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. I work for a great organization that cares about people. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. I always thought that might zing me one day.. Please logout and login again. 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. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? He is also fully practicing. He has the respect of the players that he has cared for over the years, and that is the reason many of them will call to ask his advice even after they have left the organization. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. There are team physicians, such as head team physician Martin Boublik of Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver. The Denver Broncos have leaned toward acquiring injured players during the offseason.Three of the top five draft picks had injuries that prevent them for full athletic participation in the rookie mini camp on May 6-8. "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," Broncos president and CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. Although there are many female coaches in the NFL, athletic training and strength and conditioning were among the first positions to be filled by women. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . 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. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. All three are full training camp participants. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 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. 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). Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. 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. 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. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. 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. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt.

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