Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. 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. He is the teams 12th man. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. For instance, his work with offensive tackle Ryan Clady transformed what would have been dead salary cap money into transferable salary through Cladys trade to the New York Jets. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. He had a fear of flying. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Please check your email for a confirmation. That poor guy. And he played the whole game. Your login session has expired. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. 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. Broncos' sports medicine director retiring after 45 seasons - AP NEWS Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. 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. 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.. What a run. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? It wasnt really an injury. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. 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. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. 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. 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. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. Here's a look. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. (photos via Broncos photo archive, unless noted) 1 / 24. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). The two went on to lead theteam in tackles lastseason. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. Head Athletic Trainer Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Forty-five years is a long time. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. "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. After becoming head athletic trainer for the South Metro Fire Rescue in Centennial from 2014-15, Garcia rejoined the Broncos training staff as Antonopulos top assistant in 2016. but it can also be stressful. 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. 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. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. 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 has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. Greek is ever present when scary injuries occur, such as the incident with defensive end Derek Wolfe in the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on August 17, 2013. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. 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 love the challenges that are presented each day. 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. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. I always thought that might zing me one day.. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. 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. The weather was awful. 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 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 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). 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 earned the head trainer position in 1979. 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. 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. Gotsis had yet to be treated by the man crucial to his draft selection and his successful knee rehabilitation, head athletic trainerSteve Antonopulos. 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. 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.. I woke him up. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. Denver Broncos laud retiring trainer Steve Antonopulos, 72, 'a fixture 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. Steve Antonopulos - Head AT - Denver Broncos | ZoomInfo "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, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. I love caring for people. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Ill always be a Bronco.. 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it.

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