I love my job. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. I always thought that might zing me one day.. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. 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. 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.. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. (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. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. I told him that, and he said. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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. The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. Please check your email for a confirmation. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. Download the 9NEWS APPiTunes:http://on9news.tv/itunesGoogle Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. 1. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. 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. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Please check your email for a confirmation. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. 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. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. 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 weather was awful. If they are working in an NFL medical facility it can be even more. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. 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. Forty-five years is a long time. 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. It was phenomenal. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. He closed the door and he went nuts again. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Listen, I really appreciate you calling me. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. 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. 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. I love caring for people. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. Aftersigning his $24.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears during the offseason,the NFL tweeted this about Trevathan: Knee injury.Knee injury.Knee injury.Big contract? pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. 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. And he played the whole game. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. Please logout and login again. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. Not a member? Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. 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.. Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? 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. 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. 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. One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. 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. 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. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. The next, crippled. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. 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. 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. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. 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. Is the job worth the derision? Broncos long time trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos retires, Horse Tracks: Potential Broncos Cap Casualties in 2023, 3 players the Broncos should consider cutting to make more cap room for the 2023 free agent class. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. 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. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. No one cared more about the players than Greek. 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. Denver Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for 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. 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 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. Register now! He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos, honor him at a Broncos game. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. More Videos In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. Here are those results. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. > Top stories curated daily just for you! Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. Sleeting. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. The two went on to lead theteam in tackles lastseason. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. "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. 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. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. I love the challenges that are presented each day. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. ", 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.". 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. When I see a player incurring a major injury withering in pain on the field, I am seeing most the emotional agony and fear of uncertainty. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. "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. 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. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. You have the passion to do it. 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. Steve Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. 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).
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