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. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. I told him that, and he said. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. Register now! It wasnt really an injury. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. (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. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. #NGWSD. 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.. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. 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. 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. 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. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. In July 2016, Antonopulos began the road to retirement when he took on a new role and Vince Garcia was promoted to head athletic trainer. Included in the Broncos' draft room is trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who is working his 41st NFL Draft. Is the job worth the derision? That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Please check your email for a confirmation. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. He got $26.4 million without playing a down for the Colts last year 32 percent more than his first-year salary with the Broncos. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. 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. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. 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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. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He had a fear of flying. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . 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. 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. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. I always thought that might zing me one day.. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. 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. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. 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. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. All three are full training camp participants. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. 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. 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.. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. 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. There is another player meeting from 3 to 4 p.m. Post practice treatments follow until we are done at approximately 6 p.m. On game day, Greek arrives very early as well. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. In 2017, Antonopulos was promoted to the teams director of sports medicine, where he oversaw all aspects of the clubs training and rehabilitation process. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. One moment they move with extraordinary grace, quickness, and power. Could they look to sign a veteran? Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. Sleeting. What a run. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Please logout and login again. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. I work for a great organization that cares about people. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. Bowlen was football first, business second'. Broncos to rename training room for Steve Antonopulos, honor him at a Broncos game. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. 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. 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). 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. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. Greek has four assistants and many intern athletic trainers. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. Here are those results. 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. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. 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. 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. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. 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. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. The team announced the long-time athletic trainer's retirement on Monday. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/08/denver-broncos-news-steve-greek-antonopulos-retires-as-trainer/, 17 Broncos players set to become unrestricted free agents, 5 players Broncos might consider trading this offseason, 8 players Broncos should let walk during NFL free agency, 5 Broncos players who could become cap casualties this offseason, Broncos want to re-sign free agent LB Alex Singleton, Every time the Broncos have used a franchise tag in the past, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday after 45 years with the team. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. 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. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. And he played the whole game. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. 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. Their athletic body movements express their identity. 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. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? 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.

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