steve antonopulos salary steve antonopulos salary

It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. 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. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. I was blessed to be a part of the elation of that. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. 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. Their bones, cartilage, and ligaments bear theburden of these familial expectations. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. After treating nearly 1,000 different players during the past 45 years, Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired as Broncos trainer. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Gotsis had yet to be treated by the man crucial to his draft selection and his successful knee rehabilitation, head athletic trainerSteve Antonopulos. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. 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. Athletic trainers often work more than 12 hours a day and are required to travel with the team for away games and/or training camp. Greeks retirement is effective immediately. Will they play well again? Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Rainy. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. I work for a great organization that cares about people. Since it happened in 1978,reconstructive techniques were not available for Elway. "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. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. 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. It is still early in the process. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. Please logout and login again. 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. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. A typical day for me starts at 4 a.m. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? 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. We allowed the soft tissues to heal and put him on a strengthening program and he played in about 10 days. I thought I would be (at Fort Hays) my whole career, Antonopulos 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. pic.twitter.com/MB6he9cRUp, Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2016. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? And then Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City has always been one of my favorites. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. April 12, 2017 at 10:38 a.m. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Please check your email for a confirmation. At the moment it is week-by-week. Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. 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. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? The Broncos had never been to the playoffs and had just two winning seasons before Antonopulos arrived. The longest-tenured employee in Denver Broncos history is hanging them up. pic.twitter.com/uwM5i7YAAm. Players are not treated as replaceable pieces of football productivity. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. 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.. 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. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. 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. 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. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. Greek is ever present when scary injuries occur, such as the incident with defensive end Derek Wolfe in the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on August 17, 2013. @Grindin_59 never saw this happening: https://t.co/62EHR6aweP pic.twitter.com/2ns3HQOWc3. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 and retired in 2021 as the teams director of sports medicine. > Top stories curated daily just for you! By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. 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. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Here's everything we know, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Top QB prospect Levis eager to unleash 'cannon', Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. 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. That poor guy. Sleeting. It didn't matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookie -- his standard never changed. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. 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.. 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. There were 983 players who played at least one regular-season game for the Broncos in his tenure. Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Antonopulos spent 45 years with the Denver Broncos and was the athletic trainer to over 1,500 NFL players. Vince Garcia. He depended on him for help recovering from injuries, advice on health concerns when evaluating players and, often, simply the friendship that they cultivated over . Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. If you dont have passion, you are in the wrong field. 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. I just think Pat trusted Greek more than any other employee he ever had working for him, Ellis said. pic.twitter.com/VZ4LHDGcb7, Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) April 30, 2016. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. 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.. 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. "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. There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. More Videos He is also fully practicing. but it can also be stressful. Enjoying Sportskeeda's coverage? 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. Greek watched over the knee helping to make it stronger than most, according to Matt Christopher in his book In the Huddlewith John Elway. Steve Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. I love the challenges that are presented each day. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. The fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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. 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. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. ThenBroncos head team physician, Ted Schlegel M.D., said when presenting the award: Greek is nothing short of a consummate professional. The Moving can be an exciting experience. 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. 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. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Denver Broncos athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos, who recently retired this offseason, was the longest tenured athletic trainer in the NFL. Steve 'Greek' Antonopulos with Jim Gillen talk being head athletic trainers https://t.co/nTFo5XtbrK, R. David Mullin (@RD_Mullin) August 17, 2016. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. 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. 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. (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 has the respect of the players that he has cared for over the years, and that is the reason many of them will call to ask his advice even after they have left the organization. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. 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! "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. 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. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. No one cared more about the players than Greek. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. I always thought that might zing me one day.. 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. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. Antonopulos, 72, whom most everyone with the team and in the league knows simply as "Greek," has been with the Broncos since 1976. 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. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. Antonopulos is the only Broncos employee who has been to all eight Super Bowls. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Ryan OHalloran covered the Broncos for The Post from 2018-22 and has covered the NFL since 2004. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERto getcant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered righttoyour inbox. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. "Greek" is in his 41st year with the #Broncos! He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. Greek does sustained hard work with players that benefits in indirect ways. Take a quick 30-second survey to help us deliver the best content around NFL & College Football. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . | . The very best of medical practitioners effortlesslyblend sincere empathy and proficient treatment with their patients. He worked 941 total games, during which Denver went 438-311-1 in the regular season/playoffs. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. Broncos president Joe Ellis saidthis to Daniel Petty of the Denver Post about the announcement of owner Pat Bowlens retirement due to Alzheimers in 2014: The night before, I thought of people who were so close to him in the organization and needed to know before the announcement came out the next day. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. 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. Quarterback Mike White said he'd like to return to the New York Jets, but knows it might not happen as he heads toward free agency. They required him to go there for a physical. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. #NGWSD. Denver Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired after 45 years with the franchise, the team announced Monday. 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. 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. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. 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 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 sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". 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. "No one cared more about the players than Greek. I love the energy required to survive in this game. Tedious repetitions of arm pulls and leg lifts. Forty-five years is a long time. Head Athletic Trainer Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who arrived to the Broncos as a rookie . Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. * A guy we think can get better and better. 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). 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. He closed the door and he went nuts again. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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. For me I want to be back early August, September, ready to go 100 percent, full go. Connor McGovern had a hamstring problem. 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. 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. 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. 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. My wife deserves this and we need to move on, Antonopulos said in a phone interview Sunday with The Denver Post. As one of six female athletic trainers in the @NFL, Allison Miner is living her dream. He had a fear of flying. During the season, Antonopulos would often arrive at the facility around 4 a.m. and stay as late as required. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. No one cared more about the players than Greek. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors seven times for his work. A good trainers room is filled with the mundane, bathed in the light of here-and-now reality. 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.