Sports

Niko Koutouvides: Super Bowl Patriotism

The Avon resident is in his eighth season of NFL play, his first with the New England Patriots.

Sunday marks Avon resident ' second Super Bowl as he and the New England Patriots face the New York Giants in a battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Koutouvides, 30, has been a offensive linebacker with Patriots since last year. He has played in eight games for New England, one of which he started in. Over the last year, he has made 14 tackles, according to his profile on nfl.com.

His parents, Niki and Stelios Koutouvides were in Foxborough, MA, on Jan. 22 to see their son advance to the second Super Bowl of his NFL career after the Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens 20-17 and claimed the AFC title. They, along with his two brothers and other relatives, will be in Indianapolis to watch him play in the Super Bowl.

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Niki Koutouvides said she was already a Patriots fan before her son joined the team.

Currently in his eighth season of NFL play, Niko first went to the Super Bowl in 2006 with the Seattle Seahawks, his first professional team, where he played from  2004 to 2007, according to nfl.com. The Denver Broncos drafted him in 2008 and then he played two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 and 2010, according to his NFL biography.

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He grew up in Plainville, starting football at age 8 and earning the rank of captain toward the end of his four years on the Plainville High School football team.

Koutouvides went on to play at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, where he served as captain of the defensive line, his mother, Niki Koutouvides said.

His first professional game was with the Seattle Seahawks, from 2004 to 2007 seasons, followed by one year with the Denver Broncos in 2008, two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 and 2010, according to nfl.com.

While Niki Koutouvides liked all the teams her son played for, she said she is happy to have him close to home again. Joining the Patriot roster was "comfortable" for Niko, she said, because it allowed him to be close to family.

"That was one [reason]," she said. "He was just excited to play and he had a job. That's how that goes."

Niko's parents' business, The Stonewell Restaurant in Farmington is hosting a Super Bowl party Sunday.

The fans will be watching for Koutouvides, No. 90, in red, white and blue.



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