A look at Steve "Greek" Antonopulos' 41 years as the Broncos' head athletic trainer. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. 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. 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. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. 2 / 24. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 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. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. 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. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? 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. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. 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. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. 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. They required him to go there for a physical. 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. He depended on him for help recovering from injuries, advice on health concerns when evaluating players and, often, simply the friendship that they cultivated over . He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. But athletic trainers, as well as strength and conditioning coaches, also seem to be the first staff members to be blamed when an NFL team suffers numerous injuries. I dont have an exact set deadline on when Im coming back. 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. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. Download the 9NEWS APPiTunes:http://on9news.tv/itunesGoogle Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. 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.. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. 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. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos in a move CEO Joe Ellis called a no-brainer given his long run with the franchise. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 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. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. So I called him. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. Be the first one to comment on this story. For a 2 p.m. start, he comes tothe stadium at 7:30 a.m. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. "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. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. 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. 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. 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. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. "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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. Example video title will go here for this video. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. Greek received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, and began his athletic trainer career at Fort Hays State University in Kansas in 1973, working there until 1976. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. 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. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. 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. 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. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. He is the only individual to be part of all eight Broncos Super Bowl runs. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. 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. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. Vince Garcia. 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. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. For 45 years, athletic trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has been the epitome of what the Denver Broncos are all about.Greek, there arent words to describe the impact youve had on our organization, and we wish you nothing but the very best in retirement!#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/HAKN6t7S7P. Register now! There are team physicians, such as head team physician Martin Boublik of Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. Broncos president Joe Ellis saidthis to Daniel Petty of the Denver Post about the announcement of owner Pat Bowlens retirement due to Alzheimers in 2014: The night before, I thought of people who were so close to him in the organization and needed to know before the announcement came out the next day. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. Here's a look. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . During his tenure, Antonopulos picked up the following accolades: NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award and the NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award. 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). ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. 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. More Videos Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. https://t.co/2uuh4JmP6H#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/VljaBUgaTn, Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis told Ryan OHalloran of The Denver Post. 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. Not a member? Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. His career is still going as the team's director of sports medicine. 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. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today.