We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Learn how your comment data is processed. It was phenomenal. 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. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. 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 love my job. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL 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 first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. And he played the whole game. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. He closed the door and he went nuts again. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. ", 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.". 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 . Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. 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. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. 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. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. 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. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. 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. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. Odds & lines subject to change. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 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. 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. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. A good trainers room is filled with the mundane, bathed in the light of here-and-now reality. His Bronco days started in 1976. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. 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. (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. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. Steve Antonopulos reaches out to injured linebacker Nick Greisen in Englewood, Colo., on Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. cant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right, Players given Kratom by Colorado coach, police say, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, 'Greek' Antonopulos: Presenting Bowlen for HOF has been emotional time, 'Greek' on man he will present to HOF: 'Mr. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. 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. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. 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. He had a fear of flying. 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. 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. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Antonopulos service was rewarded in 2019 when the Bowlen family named him as presenter to longtime Broncos owner Pat Bowlen for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. Allen called me the first week of July. He closed the door and he went nuts again. If you dont have passion, you are in the wrong field. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. 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. 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. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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.. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? 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 is the teams 12th man. > Top stories curated daily just for you! Call 1-800-GAMBLER. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos in a move CEO Joe Ellis called a no-brainer given his long run with the franchise. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine.