pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. 'Defend My Desk' How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? I love caring for people. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. I never worked a day in my life because I loved what I was doing so much and the organization was so classy. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. 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. The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. I have always respected the fact that Steve is the kind of person that will look you in the eye and tell you what he is thinking and commit to his word. 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. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. His Bronco days started in 1976. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. I went and got a summer job on the state highway back home that summer and I was getting married. 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. 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. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. Greek in his own words,as told to the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers: The worst part of the job is seeing players devastated by being injured. We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. As he would watch games with his father and neighbors, he would say to himself, Someday, somehow, someway, Im going to work for the Denver Broncos.. Sleeting. You have to understand he tore the long head of the bicep which is located in the shoulder joint. His career with the team began in 1976 and spanned all eight of the teams Super Bowl appearances, 10 general managers, and three and a half team owners. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John [Elway], This is it. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. I told him that, and he said. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . 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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. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. 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. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, who has served 45 years in the Broncos organization and was a part of the franchise's three Super Bowl victories, is retiring. It was dreary. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. 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). Allen called me the first week of July. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. @Broncos celebrating head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos tonight. 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. 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. Gotsis had yet to be treated by the man crucial to his draft selection and his successful knee rehabilitation, head athletic trainerSteve Antonopulos. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! Is hard reset only way to salvage Jets QB dilemma? His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. "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," Broncos president and CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. Coach Gary Kubiaks unflappable reaction to the season-ending knee injury of starting defensive end Vance Walker on Tuesday was based on his confidence of the Denver Broncos reserve depth at the position. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. I woke him up. Steve Antonopulos, known as "Greek," has retired from his position as athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. Sleeting. 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center.