I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. 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. Rainy. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos - Denver Broncos 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. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. 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. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. Their bones, cartilage, and ligaments bear theburden of these familial expectations. Forty-five years is a long time. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. * A guy we think can get better and better. > Top stories curated daily just for you! It was dreary. 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.. He closed the door and he went nuts again. 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. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. > Above video: Steve Antonopulos introduces Pat Bowlen at NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. It wasnt really an injury. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is. That poor guy. (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. 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. You have the passion to do it. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. The Drive was so special. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. Broncos athletic trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retiring after 45 From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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. Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , 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. Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. "the Greek" and considered by many of his peers as tops in his profession, has worked for coaches Red Miller, Dan Reeves, Wade Phillips and Mike Shanahan as the Bronco. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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 "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. 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. Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Example video title will go here for this video. Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio's funny take on Steve Antonopulos retiring Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. 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. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. 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. Now hes walking away for good as hes going to retire where he grew up on the eastern plains. Please logout and login again. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. 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. We thought it would be (quick). It's spanned 900. "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. 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. Denver Broncos laud retiring trainer Steve Antonopulos, 72, 'a fixture We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. 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. Broncos trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year career Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires as Denver Broncos' head trainer It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. Allen called me the first week of July. 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.. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. 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. And he played the whole game. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. A good trainers room is filled with the mundane, bathed in the light of here-and-now reality. At the moment it is week-by-week. More Videos 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 treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Please check your email for a confirmation. Odds & lines subject to change. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. A native of Hugo and graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Antonopulos first joined the Broncos in 1976 as assistant trainer to Allen Hurst. 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. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. No one cared more about the players than Greek. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 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. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. Six of Pat Bowlen's children and presenter Steve Antonopulos at the longtime Broncos owner's inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. During the past four years, Antonopulos oversaw the Broncos training and medical treatment from on high, leaving Vince Garcia in charge of the day-to-day responsibilities. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. He is the teams 12th man. What a run. 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. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. 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. 2 / 24. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". In all he was on the sideline for 941 games (preseason, regular season and postseason) and worked for 13 different head coaches.