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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. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. Director of Operations Bill Horpel is hidden behind the trophy against the Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA on January 25, 1998. "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. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. 2 / 24. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. I love my job. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. 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. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. "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. The Drive was so special. 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. 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. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. Denver Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. 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. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. 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. Allen called me the first week of July. 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. 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. 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. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. 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. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . 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. He is the teams 12th man. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. What a run. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. The weather was awful. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. He closed the door and he went nuts again. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. 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. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. 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.. "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. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. During his time as a trainer, the Denver Broncos posted a 438-311-1 record. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. 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. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. It was dreary. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. 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. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. Please check your email for a confirmation. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . They required him to go there for a physical. https://t.co/2uuh4JmP6H#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/VljaBUgaTn, Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis told Ryan OHalloran of The Denver Post. 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. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Please check your email for a confirmation. 1. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? 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. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. Bowlen was football first, business second'. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. 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. The weather was awful. You must be logged in to leave a comment. If you dont have passion, you are in the wrong field. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. 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.. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . Is the job worth the derision? Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. 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. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. He had a fear of flying. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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. That poor guy. 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. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. 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. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. 41-yrs! Toward the end Elways ripped bicep. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. It was phenomenal. 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. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. 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. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. 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. 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. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. I love being around young people who keep me young. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. His career is still going as the team's director of sports medicine. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Quarterback Mike White said he'd like to return to the New York Jets, but knows it might not happen as he heads toward free agency. In 2017, Antonopulos was promoted to the teams director of sports medicine, where he oversaw all aspects of the clubs training and rehabilitation process. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 and retired in 2021 as the teams director of sports medicine. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego.