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. (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. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. It was dreary. It is still early in the process. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. Steve Antonopulos - Head Athletic Trainer - Denver Broncos - LinkedIn Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. I love caring for people. 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. 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. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. I always thought that might zing me one day.. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. 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 grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. Please check your email for a confirmation. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. The Moving can be an exciting experience. The next, crippled. Will they play well again? Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. 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. 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 was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. > Top stories curated daily just for you! One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. Broncos' long time trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires Example video title will go here for this video. 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. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. 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. Ill always be a Bronco.. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. 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.. 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. Broncos athletic trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retiring after 45 A native of North Dakota and graduate of Kansas State, OHalloran previously covered the Washington Redskins for eight years, primarily at The Washington Times, and the Jacksonville Jaguars for six years at The Florida Times-Union. 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. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. 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. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. Through the Years: The illustrious career of Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Denver Broncos laud retiring trainer Steve Antonopulos, 72, 'a fixture Could they look to sign a veteran? With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 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. 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. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. Head Athletic Trainer Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). But according to those who know him well, Greeks domain also contains a rare element in the Not For Long professional football league: an endless supply of unsentimental, deep compassion. 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. Toward the end Elways ripped bicep. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. 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. That poor guy. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. His Bronco days started in 1976. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Kentucky's Will Levis, a likely top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spoke Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and -- in under 15 minutes -- presented himself as arguably the most self-assured QB in this year's class. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. Their athletic body movements express their identity. 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. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. 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. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. * A guy we think can get better and better. 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. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Once I get up to Denver and visit with the team doctors, they can check out my knee and do all of that, and then we can go from there. It wasnt really an injury. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. 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. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. Broncos trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year career 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. 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. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. 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. Do NFL teams have team nurses? How much do the medical - AS USA He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. Allen called me the first week of July. Register now! In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and trainer Steve Antonopulos had a lifelong "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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. 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 worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up.