steve antonopulos salary steve antonopulos salary

When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. 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. The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. Antonopulos, 72, has worked with the Broncos for nearly 50 years, making his the longest career with one team in NFL history. Russell Wilson's salary cap and dead money totals for the next six seasons. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Since the former Fort Hays head athletic trainer launched his NFL career, a lot has changed in the sport and in the world of athletic training, but Antonopulos' career had such remarkable longevity because he constantly worked to keep up with updating practices and help shape the evolving field. Veteran free agentRussell Okung, the starting left tackle, was signed during the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. 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 Antonopulos announced his retirement on Monday. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. In fact over his NFL career Elway ran for3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. 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. Vince Garcia. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Greek has four assistants and many intern athletic trainers. 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. Steve "Greek" Antonopulos, the Broncos' director of sports medicine, is entering his 44th season with the team. Broncos trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Get to know all 17 Denver mayor candidates , 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. Were on the tarmac going to play San Diego. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.". ", 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.". Athletic trainers are the first on the field when an NFL player is injured, and in the case of a serious injury, they have to use quick decision-making to treat the player immediately. It was phenomenal. 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. Here's a look. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. 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. 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. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. Of course, Greek does not do this single-handedly. Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. 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. Horse Tracks: Should the Broncos spend big money on a free agent running back. In Antonopulos' second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. John Elways pro football career had bookends of torn up body parts. I have never had a day that I dreaded coming to work. 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. According to the organization, Antonopulos' 45-year tenure is believed to be the longest ever spent with a single NFL team. And he played the whole game. His motto was defend your desk. And the only way to defend your desk, Antonopulos would say, is to be at your desk. Jiminy Christmas, Im humbled; what an awesome thing, he said. On August 3, the Broncos organization came together to celebrate 40 years of service by Greek. 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. The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. 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. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. 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. 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! * A guy we think can get better and better. If you do not acknowledge the unique importance of Greek, then you chronically underestimate the Broncos. A Hugo, Colorado, native, Antonopulos began his career with the Broncos as an assistant trainer in 1976. 1. They see their players physical and emotional fragility. He had the fingernail on his thumb totally torn off and was bleeding all over the place. 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. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. In announcing the retirement of the man everyone called Greek, the Broncos said he treated 980 different players in the regular season and playoffs. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer. In honor of his impact & dedication these last 45 years, were naming the training room after Steve Greek Antonopulos. When the Broncos open training camp next month, Antonopulos wont be on the sidelines for the first time since 1975. In Antonopulos second season, the Broncos reached their first Super Bowl, a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 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. It paid $25 a week plus room and board, he said with a laugh. Here are his assistants at Super Bowl 50 in February: Congrats to @broncos and the athletic training staff. 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. 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. 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. ", Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) April 30, 2016. 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. There is no verbal banter of windy platitudes to stoke quixotic fantasies of either management or players. An MRI told us the stub from the bicep was not in the joint. Your login session has expired. Antonopulos joined the Broncos as assistant athletic trainer in 1976 . He embodies the principles of the Fain-Cain Award, and he continues to impact all of those who have been around him. > Top stories curated daily just for you! ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Over the past 45 years, Steve "Greek" Antonopulos has been a welcoming presence in the Broncos' training rooms at the team's practice facilities, home and road stadiums and training camp locales none more so . 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. 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. Less than a decade after winning the Super Bowl MVP he had left knee replacement surgery. He researched the previous seasons hamstring injury sustained by running back Otis Armstrong and put together a treatment/rehabilitation plan to present to Hurst. His first chance came in the summer of 1969 when trainer Allen Hurst offered him an internship. I love the challenges that are presented each day. Its just a cool place., Oh boy, a couple of those. (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. No other NFL trainer has treated a teams general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and current roster of players. 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. We sincerely thank his wife Susan and the entire Antonopulos family for sharing Greek with us for so many years.. Counting players on training camp roster, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. We congratulate Greek and thank him for a truly remarkable, special run with the Denver Broncos. 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. They required him to go there for a physical. Antonopulos called the honor breathtaking.. He worked under three owners and 10 head coaches and was a part of 22 playoff teams and three Super Bowl champions. At the moment it is week-by-week. How did Antonopulos survive so many regime changes? 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.. Rick Massie was a receiver from Kentucky. Denver Broncos headlines, game previews and interviews with our 9NEWS insider Mike Klis. That poor guy. The award is given annually to a NFL trainer who best exemplifies a long-term commitment to the NFL, as well as exemplary performance. Bowlen was football first, business second'. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. 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. What is your favorite memory of the Broncos long-time head trainer? Learn how your comment data is processed. NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award, The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award, NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. 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. He took a year off from football, resuming play without an ACL for the remainder of his career. 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). The weather was awful. 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. It didnt matter if they were a Hall of Famer or an undrafted rookiehis standard never changed. 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. From Left to Right: Dustin Little, Josh Hartman, Steve Antonopulos, Michael Sundeen, and Billy-Joe Voltaire. I work for a great organization that cares about people. 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. I love the relationships I have developed over the years. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After a career that spanned 45 years with the Denver Broncos, director of sports medicine Steve Antonopulos has retired. 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. In my mind -- like I told him the other day -- I don't think he's retired. Scissors, tape remover, whirlpools, ultrasound gel, and treatment tables. 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. 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. 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. "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. 2 / 24. Allen called me the first week of July. The one other was (running back) Rob Lytle back in the day. 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. Ryan OHalloran covered the Broncos for The Post from 2018-22 and has covered the NFL since 2004. Denver's tale of the tape under Antonopulos: 941 total games (incl. Antonopulos became head trainer in 1979 making him what is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer in NFL history. Our organization wishes him the very best in his retirement. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. A native of Hugo and graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Antonopulos first joined the Broncos in 1976 as assistant trainer to Allen Hurst. He earned the head trainer position in 1979. 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 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). You have the passion to do it. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. The weather was awful. We certainly wouldnt have gone to Cheers had we known it would take that long. 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. And these team doctors, for licensed medical doctors they are, can earn in the range of $200,000 and $512,500 per year. I was making good money on the highway and going to college. Fangio also added that "I have hard time believing that Greek is really retired. (Coach) Dan Reeves made the decision to have him drive to San Diego for the game. https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/08/denver-broncos-news-steve-greek-antonopulos-retires-as-trainer/, 17 Broncos players set to become unrestricted free agents, 5 players Broncos might consider trading this offseason, 8 players Broncos should let walk during NFL free agency, 5 Broncos players who could become cap casualties this offseason, Broncos want to re-sign free agent LB Alex Singleton, Every time the Broncos have used a franchise tag in the past, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In all those years, I never tried to figure out how many hours I worked.. Be the first one to comment on this story. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. He is believed to be the longest-tenured trainer with one team in NFL history, and Greek is the. We always worked with Craig Hospital and the concussion experts and developed our protocols, which are similar to some that are used today. Be the first one to comment on this story. Greek goes to bed early because he gets here about 4 in the morning or 4:30 in the morning. He was to make $61.8 million after two years with the Colts,. Instead of cutting the tackle, Denver traded him and gaineda future fifth-round draft pick. Broncos' Athletic Trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. He had a fear of flying. 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. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. If youre doing something you love, you dont watch the clock or think about it, he said. 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 treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos. He closed the door and he went nuts again. It was embarrassing, the whole concept. 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. Trainer Antonopulos, a Broncos' 'fixture,' retires, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? 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 fans are incredible and it was the first of the modern stadiums in the old days. From there, we went to Cheers bar and ran into some Denver people and had a couple cold ones. Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. Your login session has expired. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos. Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. Broncos Athletic Trainer Steve Greek Antonopulos is retiring after 45 seasons with the team. View Steve Antonopulos's record in Limon, CO including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. 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. 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. The Broncos will have a new person as the head of their training staff for the first time in a long time. 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. 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. 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. Denver Broncos longtime trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos retired Monday after 45 years with the team. They see players near impossible athletic feats, creating the illusion of invincibility. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Or does the salary serve as a salve to those wounds? Could they look to sign a veteran? He held the post until 2016, after which he transitioned into his role as director of sports medicine for four years. He was obviously an astute trainer, but also an arrive-early, leave-late, stay-in-his-lane employee. Probably the most loyal employee the team has had and will ever have, Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis said in a phone interview. He is also fully practicing. You must be logged in to leave a comment. When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John (Elway), This is it. Ill see you in the morning. And that morning, we went in and he looked at me, and we just lost it. Counting players on training camp roster, Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players. My wife deserves this and we need to move on,' Antonopulos told Ryan OHalloran of the Denver Post. The livelihood of their families depend on the high body performance. 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.. pic.twitter.com/N8K1CSmUdg, Kami Carmann (@KamiCarmann) August 4, 2016. Like Antonopulos, Garcia got his bachelors degree from Northern Colorado. 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Ill always be a Bronco.. Here are those results. Antonopulos grew up in Hugo, Colo., 105 miles southeast of Mile High Stadium. He told me after the fact he was going to take a half-hour (for the interview) and be on his way, Antonopulos said. The best thing is stay in your domain, stay at your desk and work your rear end off.. A fellow trainer at Fort Hays was Jim Gillen, who later became the head athletic trainer for the Denver Nuggets. 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. That poor guy. Marshall had several screws to hold together a foot while Travathan had major reconstruction surgery on his knee cap. Yet behind closed doors they respond to the ordinary, commonplace maladies of bruises, lacerations, soft tissue tears, and broken bones. 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