It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. What a run. FILE - Denver Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos, center, talks with staff members during drills at the team's NFL football training camp in Englewood, Colo., in this July 19, 2019, file photo. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Head Athletic Trainer He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. Among his career accolades are the Fain-Cain Memorial Award (2011), an honor bestowed to trainer who exemplifies long-term commitment to the NFL, the NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award (1987), the National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award (1996) and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2006). 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. Denver Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. 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. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Applauding him as "an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years," Denver bid farewell Monday to director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos, who retired at 72 years old. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. Example video title will go here for this video. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. By Tim Lynch @TimLynch1978 Jun 7, 2021, 8:50am MDT Share this story. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos, honor him at a Broncos game. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. 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. 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. Their athletic body movements express their identity. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. Ryan OHalloran covered the Broncos for The Post from 2018-22 and has covered the NFL since 2004. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Athletic trainers are the first on the field when an NFL player is injured, and in the case of a serious injury, they have to use quick decision-making to treat the player immediately. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. 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. 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 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. 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. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. He served as the head football trainer at his alma mater in 2009 before becoming one of Greeks assistant trainers from 2010-13. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. You have the passion to do it. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. It is still early in the process. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. I told him that, and he said. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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. 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. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. The weather was awful. Steve Antonopulos gave the Denver Broncos 45 incredible years as their athletic trainer, having trained the likes of Peyton Manning and Shannon Sharpe, among others. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Forty-five years is a long time. Of . Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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.. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. He has the respect of the players that he has cared for over the years, and that is the reason many of them will call to ask his advice even after they have left the organization. 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. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 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. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. 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. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 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. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. Not a member? Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Please logout and login again. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. The Drive was so special. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Rainy. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. I always thought that might zing me one day.. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie quarterback in 1983 and spent well over two decades with the franchise himself, has joked that Antonopulos was with the Broncos before the orange and blue in the uniforms.
