Affirming the Greek family stereotype, the Koutouvides boys — Ari, Daki and Niko — grew up working in Mom and Dad’s restaurant. Niko, a middle linebacker who signed a three-year contract with the Broncos during the offseason after spending four years with the Seattle Seahawks, started working as a busboy. Later, he stayed busy in the kitchen. Even while he was playing at Purdue, Koutouvides never came home for the holidays without filling in.
“I always worked the busy holidays, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving,” Koutouvides said. “I was like the reliever coming in. But now I’ve been relieved of my duties. My cousins are old enough now.”
Now, Koutouvides is concentrating on his middle linebacker competition with Nate Webster. They will rotate every two days with the first-string defense.
“This is Day 3 and we finally get to do a little banging,” Koutouvides said of Sunday morning’s workout. “Everyone’s excited, flying around the ball.”
