It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years. 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.. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. They required him to go there for a physical. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. 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. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. Six of Pat Bowlen's children and presenter Steve Antonopulos at the longtime Broncos owner's inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. 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. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Is the job worth the derision? Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. 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.. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. 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 had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. 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. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. I work for a great organization that cares about people. 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. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. 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. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. I love the energy required to survive in this game. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. Allen called me the first week of July. 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. 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 treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. I love being around young people who keep me young. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. 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. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Download the 9NEWS APPiTunes:http://on9news.tv/itunesGoogle Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". 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. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. 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. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. > Top stories curated daily just for you! (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. It was dreary. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. That poor guy. but it can also be stressful. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. 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. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. No one cared more about the players than Greek. Allen called me the first week of July. Once I get up to Denver and visit with the team doctors, they can check out my knee and do all of that, and then we can go from there. 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. At the moment it is week-by-week. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. He is the only individual to be part of all eight Broncos Super Bowl runs. 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. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 2 / 24. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. 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. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. The Drive was so special. 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. 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.. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. 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 Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. His physical was first thing in the morning. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. He is the teams 12th man. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. Could they look to sign a veteran? Their grandparents often move better in that instant. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. "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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. 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. 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. 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. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. It wasnt really an injury. It was phenomenal. 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. 1 draft pick, Report: Derek Carr wants $35 million per year, The Raiders are the betting favorites to land Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy: Kellen Moore wants to light the scoreboard up, I want to run the damn ball, Arrest warrant issued for Jalen Carter for reckless driving, racing, ESPN reiterates report that Lamar Jackson wants a fully-guaranteed deal, Aaron Rodgers says hell make a decision soon enough, Competition Committee begins to explore the quarterback push play, Players say Chiefs discourage them from reporting injuries, have NFLs worst training staff, Bryce Young is just over 5-10 and 204 pounds. 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. 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.. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. 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. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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 is also fully practicing. 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. Rainy. 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. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. 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 will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 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. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Be the first one to comment on this story. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. 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. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. > Above video: Steve Antonopulos introduces Pat Bowlen at NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. 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. His career is still going as the team's director of sports medicine. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. 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 . 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. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/08/denver-broncos-news-steve-greek-antonopulos-retires-as-trainer/, 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. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. 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. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. 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. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. Register now! Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. 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. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. 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. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. 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. 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. We thought it would be (quick). We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. Of . Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. 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. I love caring for people. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. 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. It is still early in the process. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. He closed the door and he went nuts again. 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. 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.. 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. You have the passion to do it. 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. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . His physical was first thing in the morning. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? 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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. 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. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. Example video title will go here for this video. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? During his 45-year career with the Broncos, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. So I called him. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? What a run. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. "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. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it.
