Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Douglas Leon Atkins
(born May 8, 1930 in Humboldt, Tennessee) is a former American football
defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New
Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He played college football at
the University of Tennessee under legendary head coach Robert Neyland. He is a
member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Atkins was a fierce defender who was known for using his immense size and
agility to his advantage. At 6´8, Atkins would often bat passes down at the
line of scrimmage and would use 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.
