Doug Atkins: Strongest Man In Football

He was an imposing figure, whether tracking down opposing quarterbacks or selling caskets. At 6-8 and approximately 280 pounds, with a high jumper’s athleticism, it’s not difficult to imagine what it was like to play quarterback with this defensive end bearing down on you.

His name was Doug Atkins, and after an NFL career that stretched from 1953 to 1969, his portfolio of quotes from terrified quarterbacks combined both respect and humor from those opponents.

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He Was The Strongest Man In Pro Football

Legendary Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas once said: “If Doug was playing, you were in trouble and in for a long day.” Former Vikings’ Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton added: “He was the strongest man in football and also the biggest. When he rushes the passer with those oak tree arms of his way up in the air, he’s 12 feet tall. And if he gets to you, the world starts spinning.”

Big Doug’s own teammate, Rick Casares, enjoyed watching opposing offensive linemen attempt to derail the manic pass rush of Doug Atkins: “We used to hope that somebody would hold him. The next play you would see guys flying around like King Kong had gotten a hold of them!”

Aside from being a giant of a man, Doug Atkins also possessed a giant personality. He was a gifted athlete who was not fond of training camps or practice and could be, shall we say—politely disruptive. In other words, the mammoth defensive end would slog through daily workouts, but then find the strength to absolutely terrorize the opposition on Sunday.

Bears running back Ronnie Bull recalled one unusual training camp incident, courtesy of Doug Atkins, back when the team trained in rural Rensselaer, IN and Atkins was not anxious to practice: “About the most exciting thing we got to do down there was watch the grass grow. During the afternoon we practiced in full pads. So out of the dressing room comes Doug Atkins dressed in a t-shirt with shorts and a helmet.

We were all saying to each other ‘What’s wrong with Doug?’ He runs down to the other end of the field and then back into the dressing room [and disappeared]. After practice, we rushed in and said: “Doug, are you hurt or something?’ He said: “No, I was just breaking in a new helmet!’”

Named To Eight Pro Bowls

The big, bad character known as Doug Atkins was born on May 8, 1930, in Humboldt, TN. Basketball was his first love and after his high school won the Tennessee state championship, Atkins moved on to play hoops at the University of Tennessee. However, he was quickly spotted by football coach Bob Neyland and helped Tennessee grab the 1951 national championship.

By 1952, he was named an All-American defensive tackle, but he also established quite the reputation on the Tennessee track team when he cleared 6-6 in the high jump, good for second place in the SEC conference meet. What an awesome combination on the football field: a giant of a man, who was not only the strongest player on the field but also one who could leap over opponents!

The wonderful natural talents of Doug Atkins allowed him to be drafted in the first round of the 1953 draft by the Cleveland Browns, before moving on to the Bears from 1955-1966, and finally to the New Orleans Saints to conclude his career from 1967-1969.

He was named to eight pro bowls, won two NFL titles, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. But in between those years, there were stories, many stories, and we’re happy to share them with you on this episode of “When Football Was Football.”

Signed For Two Cheeseburgers and Eight Beers!

Atkins, it seems, was very quotable—and so were his teammates. It seemed like everyone had a favorite Doug Atkins story whether it be from players, coaches, or friends. Atkins recalled that he signed with Cleveland for “two cheeseburgers and eight beers,” while adding “We had to have fun because we didn’t make any money.”

In reality, Atkins earned $6,800 during that rookie year with the Browns, then found himself being traded to the Bears prior to the 1955 season in what Bears’ owner/coach George Halas called “one of the finest trades I ever made.” It was said that Atkins irritated Cleveland coach Paul Brown by burping loudly during one of Brown’s team meetings!

Some of our favorite stories from that time focused on the on-going “differences” between Atkins and Halas while the big end was with the Bears. Although Halas has admitted that “There was never a better defensive end,” than Atkins, there apparently was a great deal of friction between the old school coach and his most valuable defender. Former Bears’ lineman Stan Jones once remarked: “There was a time when there was a question as to who was running the Bears, Doug Atkins or George Halas!”

Atkins loved to wet his whistle after a tough practice or during training camp and Halas shared a story in his autobiography about the relationship: “One night, a fan phoned that Doug was drunk at a bar. I drove over. Doug saw me enter and shouted a tumultuous river of profanities.

I walked up to him and countered with a barrage that for volume and variety made his assault a peaceful brook compared to my Niagara. Doug put down his glass and came to camp. At ten minutes before nine in the morning, he was out there on the field with no trace of foggy-headedness or wobbly limbs. Doug became a powerful Bear. We became good friends.”

Pressed Him Against The Ceiling With One Hand

Other tales tell us about the type of appetite a professional of Atkins’ size displayed. An article in the Los Angeles Times once reported that Atkins enjoyed a dinner consisting of 45 pieces of chicken chased by two pitchers of martinis. Of course, the latter item was somewhat new to Atkins after he gave up beer because he found it was fattening! 

Then there was the story that Atkins encountered an Eagles’ player in a bar after one game. Some type of dispute followed and Atkins, while still holding his beer, hoisted the other player and pressed him against the ceiling using just one hand! 

So, what would make Atkins mad during a game? Apparently, if an opponent used an illegal block or spoke in disrespectful language, it would surely earn Atkins’ attention. Green Bay monster Ray Nitschke remembered Atkins well: “The strongest player I saw in the NFL was Doug Atkins. None of the Green Bay Packers liked to mess with him. If we talked to him during a game, it was always about something pleasant, warm weather and a clear sky, because nobody wanted to get him pumped up.” 

A Vikings rookie once found out how not to address the on-field presence of big Doug Atkins as told by former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer: “I remember one story when he was playing in a pre-season game against Minnesota. A rookie back tried to cut block him. He grabbed the rookie through his shoulder pads and carried him back to the huddle. Fran Tarkenton was the quarterback, and Atkins told Tarkenton, ‘If this kid tries to cut me again, I’m going to kill you.’ Tarkenton looked at the rookie and said, “You’re not going to cut him anymore.’”

    He Cast Blockers Aside Like Puppets

    These were just some of the stories surrounding the legend of Doug Atkins, or as Ronnie Bull once stated: “There are 1,000 stories about Doug, but 989 of them can’t be told in a mixed group.” Another player remarked: “Doug taught me a lot of lessons. For example, he taught me to count how many martinis one would drink before a ball game!”

    And how was it to share some space as the roommate of Doug Atkins? Linebacker Larry Morris of the Bears was the MVP in the 1963 championship game win over the Giants, but perhaps his most difficult task during his time with the team was serving as the roommate of Doug Atkins: “I was Doug’s roommate eight years, and it seemed like 15. My wife said once to Doug: ‘I see you’ve stopped drinking. Is it the Lord?’ Doug said: ‘No, it’s my liver.’”

    Atkins was traded to New Orleans in 1967 and continued to antagonize quarterbacks even after ten knee surgeries by that time. As Columnist Rick Cleveland noted: “Even at the end of his career Atkins could still terrorize, then brutalize, a quarterback. Atkins didn’t just avoid blockers; he would grab them, lift them, and cast them aside like puppets.”

    During his lengthy career, Atkins made those eight Pro Bowls, was named to the 1960s “All-Decade” team, as well as the NFL’s “100th Anniversary Al-Time” team. As mentioned, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985. And, after being with the Saints for just three seasons at the end of his career, the number 81 of Doug Atkins was retired by the team.

    He Was A Vicious Pass Rusher

    Upon the passing of Atkins in 2015, Bears Chairman George McCaskey said: “Doug Atkins is an all-time great who will be remembered as one of the pillars of the 1963 championship Bears. He had a freakish combination of size and athletic ability and was as tough as anyone who ever stepped on a football field.”

    Former teammate Mike Ditka said: “He was just a vicious pass rusher. He’d take the tackle all the way back to the quarterback and knock them both down. He had a great wingspan. He just played the game hard. He played the game the way you were supposed to play it.” It was all worth it to Doug Atkins, who during his induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982, simply said: “Football has been good to me. It has been my life.”

    And that, ladies and gentlemen, was Doug Atkins, a 280-pound sweetheart off the field, but a combination of Godzilla and Superman on it. Thank you for listening to this episode of “When Football Was Football” on the Sports History Network.

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    Author and Host - Joe Ziemba

    Joe Ziemba is the host of this show, and he is an author of early football history in the city of Chicago.  Here, you can learn more about Joe and When Football Was Football, including all of the episodes of the podcast.

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