Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. That poor guy. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. (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. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. We thought it would be (quick). The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? * A guy we think can get better and better. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. 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. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. His physical was first thing in the morning. 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. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. It is still early in the process. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. 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. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". 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. 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. All three are full training camp participants. And he played the whole game. 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. Broncos president Joe Ellis saidthis to Daniel Petty of the Denver Post about the announcement of owner Pat Bowlens retirement due to Alzheimers in 2014: The night before, I thought of people who were so close to him in the organization and needed to know before the announcement came out the next day. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. 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. 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. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. 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 thought it would be (quick). We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. 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. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. 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. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. 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. Your login session has expired. 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.. He closed the door and he went nuts again. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. 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. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. He had a fear of flying. Greek received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, and began his athletic trainer career at Fort Hays State University in Kansas in 1973, working there until 1976. So I called him. 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. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. 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. 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. 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. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. It was dreary. His career is still going as the team's director of sports medicine. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. Greek in his own words,as told to the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers: The worst part of the job is seeing players devastated by being injured. You must be logged in to leave a comment. "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. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. Here's a look. Rainy. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. More Videos Found this classic can in hubs stuff. 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 . 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. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. He is the teams 12th man. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. 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. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. And he played the whole game. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. 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. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. 2 / 24. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. No one cared more about the players than Greek. 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. 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. 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). You have the passion to do it. 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). Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Sleeting. 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. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. Odds & lines subject to change. 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. 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. He is the only individual to be part of all eight Broncos Super Bowl runs. (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 held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. It's an annual position that becomes even more demanding during training camp and the season. Sleeting. 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.. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. Your login session has expired. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Vince Garcia, Denvers head athletic trainer, will presumably be a strong candidate to replace Greek. The next, crippled. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. 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. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. ", Broncos coach Vic Fangio said following Monday's OTA practice: "45 years of service to one organization is unheard of in the NFL, and that speaks volumes to his competency and the value he brought to this organization over such a long period of time.". Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. 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. 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. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the only person to be a part of all eight Broncos Super Bowl appearances. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. Please check your email for a confirmation. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. 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. 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. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. I always thought that might zing me one day.. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. He closed the door and he went nuts again. Their athletic body movements express their identity.
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