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. He had a fear of flying. 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. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. Allen called me the first week of July. The Drive was so special. 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. Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. 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 closed the door and he went nuts again. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. He closed the door and he went nuts again. 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. I always thought that might zing me one day.. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. A good trainers room is filled with the mundane, bathed in the light of here-and-now reality. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. 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. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. 1 draft pick, Report: Derek Carr wants $35 million per year, The Raiders are the betting favorites to land Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy: Kellen Moore wants to light the scoreboard up, I want to run the damn ball, Arrest warrant issued for Jalen Carter for reckless driving, racing, ESPN reiterates report that Lamar Jackson wants a fully-guaranteed deal, Aaron Rodgers says hell make a decision soon enough, Competition Committee begins to explore the quarterback push play, Players say Chiefs discourage them from reporting injuries, have NFLs worst training staff, Bryce Young is just over 5-10 and 204 pounds. 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. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. 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. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. 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.. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. > Top stories curated daily just for you! The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. In 2017, Antonopulos was promoted to the teams director of sports medicine, where he oversaw all aspects of the clubs training and rehabilitation process. 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. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. 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. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos, honor him at a Broncos game. As he would watch games with his father and neighbors, he would say to himself, Someday, somehow, someway, Im going to work for the Denver Broncos.. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. Sleeting. 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. 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. 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. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. Six of Pat Bowlen's children and presenter Steve Antonopulos at the longtime Broncos owner's inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. His Bronco days started in 1976. 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. That poor guy. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. 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. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). Their athletic body movements express their identity. | . Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. 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 researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. 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. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. 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. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . 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. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. For me, Ill always remember Antonopulos for the clips he dominated from Super Bowl 32 when Terrell Davis went down with a migraine in the second quarter. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. 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. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. By Tim Lynch @TimLynch1978 Jun 7, 2021, 8:50am MDT Share this story. 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. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. Rainy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. I love caring for people. Sleeting. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. 41-yrs! 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. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. #NGWSD. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. (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. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. Allen called me the first week of July. Be the first one to comment on this story. Learn how your comment data is processed. 1. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 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. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. The Moving can be an exciting experience. They required him to go there for a physical. He had a fear of flying. 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. 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. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. He held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. Your login session has expired. As the only person in the history of the Broncos to be part of all eight Super Bowls, Greek made a profound impact on this organization. Although there are many female coaches in the NFL, athletic training and strength and conditioning were among the first positions to be filled by women. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. 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). 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. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. Your login session has expired. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. I love the challenges that are presented each day. Steve Antonopulos Head Athletic Trainer at Denver Broncos Parker, Colorado, United States 7 connections Join to connect Denver Broncos University of Northern Colorado Report this profile. 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. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. For 45 years, athletic trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has been the epitome of what the Denver Broncos are all about.Greek, there arent words to describe the impact youve had on our organization, and we wish you nothing but the very best in retirement!#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/HAKN6t7S7P. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. 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. Here's a look. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. 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. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. That poor guy. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. 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. Bowlen was football first, business second'. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. It was phenomenal. * A guy we think can get better and better. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. "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. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. 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. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Not a member? "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. 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 is the teams 12th man. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. For a 2 p.m. start, he comes tothe stadium at 7:30 a.m. In Antonopulos' second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Register now! Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. 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. 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. 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. No one cared more about the players than Greek. 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. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. 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. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? 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. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. His career with the team began in 1976 and spanned all eight of the teams Super Bowl appearances, 10 general managers, and three and a half team owners. 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. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. The weather was awful. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. 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. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. 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. His physical was first thing in the morning. 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. "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 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. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. matamata police news,
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