"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. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. During his time as a trainer, the Denver Broncos posted a 438-311-1 record. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. If they are working in an NFL medical facility it can be even more. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). Their grandparents often move better in that instant. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976, became head athletic trainer in 1981 and was promoted to the role of director of sports medicine in 2016. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. 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. 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. Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. It wasnt really an injury. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. 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. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he 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. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. 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. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. "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. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. I told him that, and he said. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. but it can also be stressful. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. 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 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. 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. It was dreary. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. 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. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. What a run. The next, crippled. One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. 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. 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. Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , 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. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. In 2017, Antonopulos was promoted to the teams director of sports medicine, where he oversaw all aspects of the clubs training and rehabilitation process. 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. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. He is also fully practicing. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie quarterback in 1983 and spent well over two decades with the franchise himself, has joked that Antonopulos was with the Broncos before the orange and blue in the uniforms. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. 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. There is another player meeting from 3 to 4 p.m. Post practice treatments follow until we are done at approximately 6 p.m. On game day, Greek arrives very early as well. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. 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 livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. 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. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Antonopulos started with the Broncos as an assistant athletic trainer in 1976, became the team's director of rehabilitation in 1979 and was hired as Denver's head athletic trainer in 1980. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Allen called me the first week of July. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Forty-five years is a long time. Your login session has expired. And he played the whole game. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. 41-yrs! #NGWSD. Register now! General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. Please check your email for a confirmation. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. 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. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. 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. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. 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 Denver Broncos head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. 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. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. 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. 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. 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. 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. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? You have the passion to do it. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. It is still early in the process. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. 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. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. 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 leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. Greek has four assistants and many intern athletic trainers. It was phenomenal. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. 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.