His career is still going as the team's director of sports medicine. 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. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. 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. 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. Here are those results. The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. 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. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. 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. The Drive was so special. 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. 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. 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. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. He had a fear of flying. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. He closed the door and he went nuts again. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. And he played the whole game. 1. A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. 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. His physical was first thing in the morning. The weather was awful. 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. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. 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. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. "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. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. "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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 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. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. 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. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Allen called me the first week of July. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. 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 2023 NFL Combine is underway. 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. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. After Greeks retirement was announced, team president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement: 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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 . I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. 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). It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. It was dreary. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis told Ryan OHalloran of The Denver Post, Broncos free agent profile: Dalton Risner, Broncos give behind-the-scenes look at the NFL combine. There are team physicians, such as head team physician Martin Boublik of Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver. That poor guy. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. "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. 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. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. I love the challenges that are presented each day. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. "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. 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. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. 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. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with franchise, As Broncos wrap up stay at NFL Combine, busy offseason of change churns toward free agency, draft, Broncos check in No. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. 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. 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.. I love the energy required to survive in this game. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. On April 28, moments after the selection of Gotsis, the Broncos draft headquarters was ecstatic, as tweeted by public relations vice president Patrick Smyth: Broncos GM John Elway, HC Gary Kubiak & DL coach Bill Kollar celebrate selection of DT Adam Gotsis in 2nd rd. 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. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. 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. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980.