About Doug Atkins
Douglas Leon Atkins 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. 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. Atkins played on the 1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team that won the national championship. The Cleveland Browns selected Atkins in the first round with the 11th overall selection in the 1953 NFL draft.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.