steve antonopulos salary steve antonopulos salary

It was dreary. 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. Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. Your login session has expired. Their bones, cartilage, and ligaments bear theburden of these familial expectations. 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. You have the passion to do it. It's spanned 900. General manager John Elway toldDenver Posts Nicki Jhabvala: Elway on Gotsis: "A guy we think has a really high *ceiling. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. Broncos director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has been selected by the family of owner Pat Bowlen to present him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio. We thought it would be (quick). 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. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. 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. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. Sleeting. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. 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. | . He held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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.. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. That was a tremendous victory in Broncos history. Greeks success there was evident as TD would go on to dominate the second half and lead Denver to its first Super Bowl championship. In all he was on the sideline for 941 games (preseason, regular season and postseason) and worked for 13 different head coaches. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. The Drive was so special. Genuine compassiondoes not stokepipe dreams but conveys the everyday dignity owed to any man, especially for the players attempting to secure a livelihood for their families to leap from ongoing poverty to sustained prosperity. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! He arrived most days at 4:30 a.m. and was often the last to leave team headquarters at night. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. "A great, great guy, as well as a great ambassador.". 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 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. I love caring for people. 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. I always thought that might zing me one day.. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years. "It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos retires after 45-year Broncos career Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. 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. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. Greek also saidthat Elway was one of the best players at injury recovery. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. During the past four years, Antonopulos oversaw the Broncos training and medical treatment from on high, leaving Vince Garcia in charge of the day-to-day responsibilities. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. What a run. I love my job. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! It wasnt really an injury. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday 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. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. Once I get up to Denver and visit with the team doctors, they can check out my knee and do all of that, and then we can go from there. We had a few of those guys, but he was to the hilt. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. That poor guy. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. I told him that, and he said. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. 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. Elways competitive drive helped him work through the mental challenges of rehabilitation. 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. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. 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. An interesting couple days and we had a great time.. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. Even before taking his first snap with the Broncos, he tore his left knees ACL in high school. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. I love the relationships I have developed over the years. * A guy we think can get better and better. 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. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. Applauding him as "an institution with the Broncos for the last 45 years," Denver bid farewell Monday to director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos, who retired at 72 years old. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Then in 1996 he received National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Athletic Trainer Service Award, and in 2006 Greek was given the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. 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. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. Toward the end Elways ripped bicep. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. 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. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. 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. 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. 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. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. 2 / 24. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. You must be logged in to leave a comment. Pat Bowlen's family has chosen Steve "Greek" Antonopulos to serve as the owner's presenter at the Hall of Fame . All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA. And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. 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. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. 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.. Greek received both Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, and began his athletic trainer career at Fort Hays State University in Kansas in 1973, working there until 1976. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. 2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers. Allen called me the first week of July. 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. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. It was dreary. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. It wasnt really an injury. Your login session has expired. 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. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. For me, Ill always remember Antonopulos for the clips he dominated from Super Bowl 32 when Terrell Davis went down with a migraine in the second quarter. ", 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.". 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. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. No one cared more about the players than Greek. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. "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. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. Bowlen was football first, business second'. For 45 years, athletic trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has been the epitome of what the Denver Broncos are all about.Greek, there arent words to describe the impact youve had on our organization, and we wish you nothing but the very best in retirement!#ThankYouGreek pic.twitter.com/HAKN6t7S7P. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He had a fear of flying. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. Be the first one to comment on this story. Interior linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan had uncertain futures going into the 2015 season. Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 1. For a 2 p.m. start, he comes tothe stadium at 7:30 a.m. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. We went a day early and went to see the Celtics play the Bulls. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos said. Vince Garcia. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. 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. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. 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. Director of Operations Bill Horpel is hidden behind the trophy against the Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA on January 25, 1998. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 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. 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. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. Please check your email for a confirmation. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. > Above video: Steve Antonopulos introduces Pat Bowlen at NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. 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. By Tim Lynch @TimLynch1978 Jun 7, 2021, 8:50am MDT Share this story. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. Denver Broncos athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, who recently retired this offseason, was the longest tenured athletic trainer in the NFL.