And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. 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.. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and trainer Steve Antonopulos had a lifelong We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. Steve Antonopulos gave the Denver Broncos 45 incredible years as their athletic trainer, having trained the likes of Peyton Manning and Shannon Sharpe, among others. Do NFL teams have team nurses? How much do the medical - AS USA My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. What a run. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. Legendary Broncos Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos Retires Broncos athletic trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retiring after 45 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 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 very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. Rainy. "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. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Ill always be a Bronco.. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. Your login session has expired. He closed the door and he went nuts again. Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. 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. Could they look to sign a veteran? Steve Antonopulos - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. Broncos' long time trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires Their athletic body movements express their identity. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. 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. 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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. 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. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio's funny take on Steve Antonopulos retiring 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. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. Not a member? ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. Here's a look. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. 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. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. 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. 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. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. There are team physicians, such as head team physician Martin Boublik of Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver. Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. In addition to praising fifth-year veteran Jarek Crick, Kubiak also said that the team expectsa lot of Adam Gotsis, who is less than ten months away from tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. 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. They required him to go there for a physical. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. 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 . Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. 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. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Please logout and login again. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. Broncos trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year career Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday after 45 years with the team. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos - Denver Broncos "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". 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. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. I love my job. What a run. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. 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. "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. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. 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's spanned 900. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. There are a hundred athletic trainers currently employed in the NFL and the average salary for those trainers is about $75,000, a figure that can rise to $100,000 depending on experience. Denver Broncos athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, who recently retired this offseason, was the longest tenured athletic trainer in the NFL. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. 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. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. 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. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. 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. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. Steve Antonopulos - Head AT - Denver Broncos | ZoomInfo 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). 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). Practice is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 3 p.m. we work on post practice treatments. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. 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! We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. 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.. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. #NGWSD. 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? Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Denver Broncos | PFATS We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. I work for a great organization that cares about people. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. Manning has "lot of work to do" on neck, but Broncos know Odds & lines subject to change. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. 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. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. Then in 1996 he received National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Athletic Trainer Service Award, and in 2006 Greek was given the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. 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. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. So I called him. 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. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. 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. One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. (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. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. 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. 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. Vince Garcia. The next, crippled. 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. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. 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. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. It was dreary. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. The weather was awful. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. 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. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 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. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. Will they play well again? 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 logout and login again. At the moment it is week-by-week. Steve Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. Broncos honor longtime trainer Steve Antonopulos Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. He held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. In Antonopulos' second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. I woke him up. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. 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. The Go-To Guy - Los Angeles Times "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. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. 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. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. but it can also be stressful. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. It's an annual position that becomes even more demanding during training camp and the season. 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. Allen called me the first week of July. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. His physical was first thing in the morning.
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