Their bones, cartilage, and ligaments bear theburden of these familial expectations. Is the job worth the derision? I was making good money on the highway and going to college. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. 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. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. Ill always be a Bronco.. His physical was first thing in the morning. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. 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. I love being around young people who keep me young. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. Steve Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. "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. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. Rainy. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. After becoming head athletic trainer for the South Metro Fire Rescue in Centennial from 2014-15, Garcia rejoined the Broncos training staff as Antonopulos top assistant in 2016. (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. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. So I called him. 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. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. 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. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. #NGWSD. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. Register now! Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. When I see a player incurring a major injury withering in pain on the field, I am seeing most the emotional agony and fear of uncertainty. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. For instance, his work with offensive tackle Ryan Clady transformed what would have been dead salary cap money into transferable salary through Cladys trade to the New York Jets. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. The weather was awful. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. Here's a look. At the moment it is week-by-week. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. 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.. 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. 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. In 2017, Antonopulos was promoted to the teams director of sports medicine, where he oversaw all aspects of the clubs training and rehabilitation process. 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. 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. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. 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. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. 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 award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. 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. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Antonopulos, 72, was a constant factor in the Broncos long run of success over the last 4+ decades treating and working with every single player Denver employed over those years. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. I love the energy required to survive in this game. It was phenomenal. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. 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. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. 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. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. He is also fully practicing. The Drive was so special. * A guy we think can get better and better. > Above video: Steve Antonopulos introduces Pat Bowlen at NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. 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. His physical was first thing in the morning. It's spanned 900. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. 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. Athletic trainers often work more than 12 hours a day and are required to travel with the team for away games and/or training camp. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. 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. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 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. 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. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. 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. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Please logout and login again. 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. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. The weather was awful. Odds & lines subject to change. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. 2 / 24. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. I always thought that might zing me one day.. 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. 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, 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Over the past 45 years, Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has been a welcoming presence in the Broncos' training rooms at the team's practice facilities, home and road stadiums and training camp locales none more so . "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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. For a 2 p.m. start, he comes tothe stadium at 7:30 a.m. That poor guy. Not a member? 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. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. He is the teams 12th man. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. 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. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. 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. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. 1. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday after 45 years with the team. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. Bowlen was football first, business second'. I work for a great organization that cares about people. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. (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 researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. 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. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. 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. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. It's an annual position that becomes even more demanding during training camp and the season. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. 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. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. 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.. It is still early in the process. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Allen called me the first week of July. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. If they are working in an NFL medical facility it can be even more. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. 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. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years. All three are full training camp participants. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. I love caring for people.