Broncos head trainer Steve Antonopulos, who is in his 40th season with the team, was presented with a painting created by noted artist Gabe Richesson. 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. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Register now! "No one cared more about the players than Greek. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? 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.. Professional football players endure incessant chronic pain in the playing days and beyond. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. 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. Steve Greek Antonopulos, the only person to work for the Broncos during each of their eight Super Bowl appearances, announced Monday he is retiring after 45 seasons of service. | . Learn how your comment data is processed. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. So I called him. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. His 43 years with the Broncos is believed to be the longest tenure by an athletic trainer with one NFL team. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. 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 Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. 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. 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. 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. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 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. Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. During John Elway's 16-year playing career and his decade leading the Broncos' front office, he was able to rely on Director of Sports Medicine Steve "Greek" Antonopulos for a lot. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years. "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. Steve Greek Antonopulos, head trainer for the Denver Broncos, has announced his retirement from the NFL after 45 years with the team. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. 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. Your login session has expired. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. 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. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. We were taxing to take off and he just went nuts and jumped out of his seat and was screaming and the pilot pulled up, opened the door and let him get a breath. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. 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. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. Antonopulos, who called Bowlen the ultimate owner, was selected by the Bowlen family in 2019 to present Pat at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. 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. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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.. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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.. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. Awesome was Antonopulos longevity in the often-unstable world of the NFL. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. 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. 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. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. 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. 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). @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. Here's everything we know, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Top QB prospect Levis eager to unleash 'cannon', Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. I work for a great organization that cares about people. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. Of . In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. 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. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Aftersigning his $24.5 million contract with the Chicago Bears during the offseason,the NFL tweeted this about Trevathan: Knee injury.Knee injury.Knee injury.Big contract? What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. "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. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". They required him to go there for a physical. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. * A guy we think can get better and better. I am an early person, and I learned years ago I need some time by myself before anyone gets here. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Sleeting. That poor guy. He is also fully practicing. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. It's spanned 900. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. The Denver Broncos have leaned toward acquiring injured players during the offseason.Three of the top five draft picks had injuries that prevent them for full athletic participation in the rookie mini camp on May 6-8. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. 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. There are a hundred athletic trainers currently employed in the NFL and the average salary for those trainers is about $75,000, a figure that can rise to $100,000 depending on experience. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? That poor guy. Rainy. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. Gambling problem? 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. 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. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. I love the challenges that are presented each day. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. 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. If you dont have passion, you are in the wrong field. 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. 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. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. 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. No one cared more about the players than Greek. He had a fear of flying. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. By 1987 he received the NFL/Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) award for Training Staff of the Year.