His physical was first thing in the morning. ", 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.". Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Their athletic body movements express their identity. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. He is also fully practicing. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 and retired in 2021 as the teams director of sports medicine. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos is the Broncos' 12th man Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. 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. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? 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. 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. In Antonopulos' second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Alex Anthopoulos Net Worth 2022, Salary, Age, Height, Family - Apumone All three are full training camp participants. Steve Antonopulos - Head Athletic Trainer - Denver Broncos - LinkedIn "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. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . 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. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. Your login session has expired. Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos: Through The Years - Denver Broncos but it can also be stressful. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. Your login session has expired. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? He earned the head trainer position in 1979. He closed the door and he went nuts again. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. I work for a great organization that cares about people. 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My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. 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. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. I love the energy required to survive in this game. Rainy. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. Example video title will go here for this video. Their bones, cartilage, and ligaments bear theburden of these familial expectations. 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. 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. Gambling problem? Steve Antonopulos is the only Denver Broncos employee that has been with the team through all eight Super Bowl appearances, which included three title victories. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. 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. I love the challenges that are presented each day. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? Smith runs second-fastest 40 by DL since 03, Saleh compares Carr to Stafford pre-Rams trade, Allen to be ready to roll for offseason program, How to maximize leverage of No. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. 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. * A guy we think can get better and better. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. 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. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. 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. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. "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. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. 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. Do NFL teams have team nurses? How much do the medical - AS USA Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Forty-five years is a long time. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. 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. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. 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. Denver Broncos Long-Time Athletic Trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Please check your email for a confirmation. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. It was phenomenal. 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 Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team.