Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. Through the Years: The illustrious career of Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. Your login session has expired. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. Toward the end Elways ripped bicep. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. He closed the door and he went nuts again. The players arrive for treatment at 6:30 a.m., and the player meetings start around 8:15 a.m. We have long-term rehabs while players are in meetings. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Forty-five years is a long time. 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. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. 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. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. 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. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. The weather was awful. "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. 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. The weather was awful. There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. 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. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. 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. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. A unique choice for a unique owner: Why the Bowlen family chose Steve 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. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. Will they play well again? Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Denver Broncos Long-Time Athletic Trainer 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. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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: . Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. | . Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Since the former Fort Hays head athletic trainer launched his NFL career, a lot has changed in the sport and in the world of athletic training, but Antonopulos' career had such remarkable longevity because he constantly worked to keep up with updating practices and help shape the evolving field. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. Allen called me the first week of July. 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. I love the relationships I have developed over the years. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. The Drive was so special. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. 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. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. 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 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. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. 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. 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. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". Broncos honor longtime trainer Steve Antonopulos Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. The next, crippled. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. I love the challenges that are presented each day. 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 Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. 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. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Please check your email for a confirmation. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. 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. 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 was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. 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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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). Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. 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. The Drive was so special. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. 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. Alex Anthopoulos Net Worth 2022, Salary, Age, Height, Family - Apumone Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. A good trainers room is filled with the mundane, bathed in the light of here-and-now reality. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. Do NFL teams have team nurses? How much do the medical - AS USA 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. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. No one cared more about the players than Greek. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game.