Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. 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. What a run. The weather was awful. 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. 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.. 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. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 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. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? 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? 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. I love being around young people who keep me young. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. 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. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. 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. 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. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. 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. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. Please logout and login again. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. Example video title will go here for this video. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. 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. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? They required him to go there for a physical. 1. 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. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. 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. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. 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. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. That poor guy. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. 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. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. (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. The Drive was so special. Rainy. 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 has been an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years and became one of the most respected athletic training professionals in all of sports," said team President and CEO Joe Ellis. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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. 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. The Drive was so special. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. Since he started setting up the training room, the Broncos have been to the playoffs 22 times. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. #NGWSD. 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. Celebrating 40 years of service On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to . (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. His Bronco days started in 1976. 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. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. Smith runs second-fastest 40 by DL since 03, Saleh compares Carr to Stafford pre-Rams trade, Allen to be ready to roll for offseason program, How to maximize leverage of No. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Allen called me the first week of July. 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. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. It wasnt really an injury. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. We thought it would be (quick). So I called him. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. After Greeks retirement was announced, team president/CEO Joe Ellis released the following statement: Steve has been an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years and became one of the most respected athletic training professionals in all of sports. I love the challenges that are presented each day. It was phenomenal. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. Although not given the recognition they so often deserve, NFL athletic trainers are some of the most important support staff members in any organization. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. 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. We thought it would be (quick). There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players.