Atkins was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. At 6-1, 300 pounds, he re-defined the defensive tackle position with an unblockable brew of speed and strength. His 75.5 career sacks led all NFL defensive tackles in the decade of the 2010s and rank third in club history.
Atkins racked up three double-digit sack seasons over his 11 years in Cincinnati and made eight Pro Bowls, the most ever by a Bengals defender. He was also named to two All-Pro teams in a career of 161 games, the most by a Bengals position player in this century.
The defensive tackle anchored a Bengals unit that led Cincinnati to five straight postseason appearances and two AFC North titles in 2013 and 2015. The Cincinnati defense ranked fifth and second in points allowed per game in those two seasons, respectively. Atkins led the Bengals to a top-10 defensive rating in six straight seasons from 2011-2016.
Atkins was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of their All-2010s team. According to Pro Football Reference, he also led all defensive tackles in quarterback hits during the 2010s with 172.
