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Steve Antonopulos is retiring from the Denver Broncos after 45 years with the team. Antonopulos was the longest-tenured employee at the franchise. During his 45-year career with the Broncos, Steve Antonopulos treated more than 1,500 players.
Steve Antonopulos is the only Denver Broncos employee that has been with the team through all eight Super Bowl appearances, which included three title victories. Antonopulos graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. The Denver Broncos hired Steve Antonopulos as their assistant trainer in 1976.
He earned the head trainer position in 1979. Steve Antonopulos has been the head trainer for the Broncos ever since. The Broncos paid an ode to Antonopulos' hard work by naming their training room after him.
Denver will also honor Steve Antonopulos at one of their home games during the 2021 season. Before the 2020 season, Steve told John Elway that the 2020-2021 season would be his final one as an athletic trainer.
What caused Steve Antonopulos to retire?
The Denver Post caught up with Steve Antonopulos, and during the interview, Antonopulos explained his reasoning behind his retirement.
"When I committed to come back for this past season, I told John Elway this is it. My wife deserves this and we need to move on."
Forty-five years is a long time. "Steve Antonopulos is what the Denver Broncos are all about," John Elway aptly summed up on the Broncos' website. 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. He treated 983 players who've appeared in at least one playoff and regular-season game for the Denver Broncos.
Antonopulos has been an athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos for a total of 941 games. During his time as a trainer, the Denver Broncos posted a 438-311-1 record. Steve Antonopulos has accomplished a lot over the past 45 years. Here's a list of accomplishments that Steve Antonopulos earned with the Denver Broncos.
- Fain-Cain Memorial Award
- NFL/PFATS Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award
- The National Athletic Trainers Association Athletic Trainer Service Award
- NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award
Broncos president/CEO Joe Ellis had this to say about Antonopulos during a phone interview with the Denver Post.
"Probably the most loyal employee, the team has had and will ever have. He was very straightforward, 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."
Steve Antonopulos will go down as one of the best athletic trainers in the history of the NFL. He leaves big shoes to fill at the organization.
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