steve antonopulos salary
Antonopulos treated 983 players who appeared in at least one regular season/playoff game for the Broncos. Listen, I really appreciate you calling me. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. I woke him up. pic.twitter.com/6YiWPEJddX, David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) February 8, 2016. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. I use the time to work out and do administrative tasks. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. Professional athletic trainers are required to be certified so that they can diagnose injuries and determine treatment plans for injuries. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 20 in NFLPA ranking of clubs based on locker rooms, food service, travel and more, From DreMont Jones and DeShawn Williams to mining the mid-rounds, DL a big offseason work area for Broncos, Broncos podcast: New coaching staff, impressions from NFL Scouting Combine, Sean Payton very excited to have Vance Joseph as Broncos DC after four years in Arizona, Colorado property owners to face astronomical tax increases next year, After School Satan Club launching first Colorado chapter, but organizer promises "we are not devil worshippers", PHOTOS: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band play Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado landlords say eviction-protection proposal could make dropping problem renters too hard, 5 can't-miss menus for Denver Restaurant Week, No more greasy pizza boxes, paper towels or takeout containers in Front Range compost bins come April 1, After teen's death, Denver East High students walk out to advocate for gun legislation, Boulder house where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Metro Denver housing market crosses firmly into negative territory in February, Kiszla: With Brendan Rodgers down and out, Kris Bryant could become $182 million face of worst team in Rockies history, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. There is another player meeting from 3 to 4 p.m. Post practice treatments follow until we are done at approximately 6 p.m. On game day, Greek arrives very early as well. It was pretty much a no-brainer when somebody puts in that amount of time, Ellis said. (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. 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. 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. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. You must be logged in to leave a comment. It wasnt really an injury. 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. With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. Tonight, we celebrated head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. 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. If you dont have passion, you are in the wrong field. He served as President of PFATS from 2003 to 2008. You'll now receive the top Broncos Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! I was making good money on the highway and going to college. 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. 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. 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. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. The Broncos announced on Monday, June 7, 2021, that Antonopulos will retire after more than three decades as the team's trainer. I love being around young people who keep me young. The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement. San Diego: Head Athletic Trainer Steve Antonopulos glances at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the locker during the post-game celebration. Antonopulos forged strong relationships with coaches and players alike and had a particularly close bond with late owner Pat Bowlen, who bought the Broncos in 1984. He is one of the richest baseball managers in Canada. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. 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. Their grandparents often move better in that instant. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. My philosophy was if you do your job and do a good job, theyll get to you. Learn how your comment data is processed. Vince Garcia, Denvers head athletic trainer, will presumably be a strong candidate to replace Greek. Among his career accolades are the Fain-Cain Memorial Award (2011), an honor bestowed to trainer who exemplifies long-term commitment to the NFL, the NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award (1987), the National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award (1996) and the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (2006). Five hours later, he was driving me 80 miles an hour down I-25 so I could get to the basketball game that night. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. Their athletic body movements express their identity. We just really hit it off and it was an opportunity that I had always dreamed about.. It is their livelihood, and it hurts to see them be injured and not be able to perform. 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. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. For a 2 p.m. start, he comes tothe stadium at 7:30 a.m. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. Rainy. Your login session has expired. 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. After the 1980 season, he was elevated to head trainer and split his old salary in half to hire two assistants. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. The Drive was so special. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. I loved the job, loved the place and there would be only one position I would leave there for the Denver Broncos.. 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. Greek was there to give head coach Mike Shanahan continual updates as he worked to treat TDs migraine. Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. Athletic trainers are witnesses to the magic and myth of extraordinary athletic feats. 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. Championships are made on practice fields; championships are also made in training rooms and rehab gyms. Steve Antonopulos Head Athletic Trainer at Denver Broncos Parker, Colorado, United States 7 connections Join to connect Denver Broncos University of Northern Colorado Report this profile. Anthopoulos successful career has earned him some luxurious lifestyles and some fancy cars. 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.. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. The doctor that gave him the physical was Arthur Pappas, one of the Red Sox owners, and he took us over to Fenway Park and I still have the picture of John and myself at home plate. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. He is also fully practicing. It was phenomenal. 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. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. 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. Sign up for the Broncos Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Discussing his knee rehabilitation, Gotsis at the time said. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. He closed the door and he went nuts again. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. 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 . Five hours later, John went through everything you could imagine and he ended up vomiting all over the place. Repeated selections of injured players shows the teams confidence in Greeks abilityto assess and treat injured players. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. We thought it would be (quick). Ill always be a Bronco.. Steve (Greek) Antonopulos was the first one. Steve Antonopulos assists injured QB John Elway at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Sunday Jan.12, 1992. 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. Antonopulos called working for the Broncos a lifes dream., A lot of people say that, but it was the reality for me, he said. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. 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. The two went on to lead theteam in tackles lastseason. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976. Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. It was phenomenal. In the days of the Orange Crush defense, Greek earned a customized can: . 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. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. Here's a look. 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. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is. Here are those results. 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. Sleeting. 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. 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 Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. 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. Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post. For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. 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. 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. Jun 07, 2021 at 08:45 AM. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. 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. The Denver Broncos head trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos has retired from the NFL after 45 years with the team. preseason), 438 total wins, 13 head coaches, 983 players with at least one game appearance. It's an annual position that becomes even more demanding during training camp and the season. 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 certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. pic.twitter.com/QngbUDNhEI. Elway mentioned Greeks help in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2004. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! There are no set work hours for an athletic trainer in the NFL. 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. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. 13655 Broncos Parkway Englewood, CO 80112. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. He was named Colorado Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. In 2005, Greek said: The initial treatment wasicing, compression, and elevation (ICE). With unmatched dedication and loyalty to the Broncos, Greek became a trusted confidant for so many coaches, staff members and especially Pat Bowlen. In Antonopulos' second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. The Broncos accurate confidence about Gotsis recovery greatly depended on the assessment and follow-through bythe mancalled Greek at the clubs UCHealth Training Center. 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. Adhesive bandages, electrodes, ice bags, and kinesiology tape. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. Steve Antonopulos, a.k.a. Is the job worth the derision? (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. Longtime head athletic trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 years with the club, the team announced Monday. Greek was the recipient of the2011 Fain-Cain Memorial Award at the NFL Physicians Society Scientific Annual Meeting. 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. At the moment, Im just completely thrilled to be a Denver Bronco and I cant wait to get up there. 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.. 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. It was dreary. Allen called me the first week of July. Gambling problem? He is the teams 12th man. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Your login session has expired. However, Anthopoulos served as an advance scout for the Greek National Baseball Team for the . Over that time, Antonopulos worked all eight Super Bowls that the Broncos have appeared in. 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. 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. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. 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. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. His salary is around $10 million and his main source of income is from his career as a business executive. Past and current players including Peyton Manning and Von Miller . Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. Please check your email for a confirmation. The Broncos announced Wednesday that longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has been promoted to the team's director of sports medicine, where he will oversee all. 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. Rather respecting them in their most important roles as sons, brothers, fathers, and husbands. That way, we are either working with them or doing administrative work. Found this classic can in hubs stuff. We had to put him on injured reserve because he couldnt travel. Ill have to say, back in the day, we always felt we were on the cusp of the concussion stuff. The Broncos will honor Antonopulos at a home game this season and the team will rename their training room after the longtime trainer. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. 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. By Tim Lynch @TimLynch1978 Jun 7, 2021, 8:50am MDT Share this story. Athletic training is also one of the first NFL staff positions to be held by women. The doctor that gave him the physical was Arthur Pappas, one of the Red Sox owners, and he took us over to Fenway Park and I still have the picture of John and myself at home plate. 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. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. "We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. Athletic trainers have one of the more important jobs on a professional sports team, especially in the NFL. 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. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. "No one cared more about the players than Greek," Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement.