He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. 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. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. It's spanned 900. And he played the whole game. 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. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. 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. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 1. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. 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. 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. 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. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. 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. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. 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. More Videos 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. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. 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. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. "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," said team President and CEO Joe Ellis. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. > Top stories curated daily just for you! Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 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 called the honor breathtaking.. Bowlen was football first, business second'. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. 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. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with That poor guy. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. 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. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Broncos honor longtime trainer Steve Antonopulos Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. Legendary Broncos Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos Retires It wasnt really an injury. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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. * A guy we think can get better and better. 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. Steve Antonopulos - Head Athletic Trainer - Denver Broncos - LinkedIn pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. If they are working in an NFL medical facility it can be even more. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Broncos' long time trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. 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. 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. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. Denver Broncos Long-Time Athletic Trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos 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. 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. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Register now! The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday after 45 years with the team. The Drive was so special. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. 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. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. Steve Antonopulos is the only Denver Broncos employee that has been with the team through all eight Super Bowl appearances, which included three title victories. Head Athletic Trainer Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . After Greeks retirement was announced, team president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement: 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. 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. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. 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. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. Rainy. 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. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. His physical was first thing in the morning. Learn how your comment data is processed. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. It is still early in the process. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. 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.