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. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. 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. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. 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. 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. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. 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. Broncos trainer Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year career The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. The Broncos will name their training room after Antonopulos. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. ", Broncos coach Vic Fangio said following Monday's OTA practice: "45 years of service to one organization is unheard of in the NFL, and that speaks volumes to his competency and the value he brought to this organization over such a long period of time.". 41-yrs! My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. 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. #NGWSD. 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. Your login session has expired. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Denver Broncos: Vic Fangio's funny take on Steve Antonopulos retiring (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. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. Hes been here north of 37 years, and every day, Mr. Bowlen started his day, by parking in the garage, coming up through the steps and stopping by Greeks office and chatting with him. It was dreary. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Not a member? June 9, 2021 6:00 am MT. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. His physical was first thing in the morning. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. I love the energy required to survive in this game. A motto for Antonopulos was Defend My Desk., When a new owner or coach was hired, he said: They come in and have 100 things going on and what they dont need is somebody trying to make an appointment and promote themselves. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. 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. Running back could be a sneaky priority need for the Denver Broncos. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. 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.. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. 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. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. 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. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. Their athletic body movements express their identity. 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. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. 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. 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. Broncos trainer Steve Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons He was the team's head trainer for 37 seasons and spent the past four seasons as the director of sports medicine. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? When I see a player incurring a major injury withering in pain on the field, I am seeing most the emotional agony and fear of uncertainty. View Steve Antonopulos's business profile as Head AT at Denver Broncos. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . 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. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. 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. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. 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. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retires after 45 seasons with franchise - The Denver Post Sports NFL Denver Broncos News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by. 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. Steve (Greek) Antonopulos was the first one. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. With the Broncos, Greek transitioned to specialize in rehabilitation and was promoted to head trainer in 1980. It was phenomenal. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. If they are working in an NFL medical facility it can be even more. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. Gotsis had yet to be treated by the man crucial to his draft selection and his successful knee rehabilitation, head athletic trainerSteve Antonopulos. 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. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . 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.
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