 Atkins on a 1954 Bowman football card | |||||||||||
| No. 83, 81 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | May 8, 1930 Humboldt, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Died: | December 30, 2015 (aged 85) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 257 lb (117 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Humboldt | ||||||||||
| College: | Tennessee (1950–1952) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1953 / round: 1 / pick: 11 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Douglas Leon Atkins (May 8, 1930 – December 30, 2015) was an American professional football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers under head coach Robert Neyland. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Atkins was also drafted to the NBA in the 17th round by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1953 NBA draft.
Atkins was a fierce defender who was known for using his immense size and agility to his advantage. At 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m), Atkins often batted passes down at the line of scrimmage and used his skills as a high jump champion to leapfrog blockers and get to the quarterback. Atkins was one of the first great exclusively defensive players in professional football and, along with fellow Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti, revolutionized the defensive end position.[1]
- ^ "Obituary for Douglas Leon Atkins-Knoxville/Humboldt". Shelton-Hunt Funeral Home. Retrieved March 17, 2024.