40 Facts About Geno Atkins

Geno Atkins played college football at Georgia, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Geno Atkins was born in Pembroke Pines, Florida on March 28,1988.

Geno Atkins attended St Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale and helped his high school football team to be the Class 5A runners-up in both 2004 and 2005.

Geno Atkins enrolled in the University of Georgia, where he played for coach Mark Richt's Georgia Bulldogs football team from 2006 to 2009.

Geno Atkins played as a true freshman, recording nine tackles and 0.5 sacks in 11 games.

In 2007, Geno Atkins saw significant playing time as a backup behind Kade Weston and Jeff Owens.

Geno Atkins became the first defensive tackle to lead the team in tackles in a game since Jason Ferguson did so in 1995 and the first defensive lineman since David Pollack in 2003.

Following, his sophomore season Geno Atkins was named First-team All-SEC, and was the only player for Georgia other than running back Knowshon Moreno to be named to the team.

Two games into the 2008 season, Geno Atkins already had eight tackles and nine quarterback hurries.

Geno Atkins was named to the 2009 Outland Trophy watch list.

Geno Atkins was the 12th defensive tackle selected in 2010.

Geno Atkins finished his rookie season with 16 combined tackles, three sacks, and a pass deflection in 16 games and one start.

Geno Atkins competed for the job as the starting defensive tackle against Tank Johnson in training camp.

Geno Atkins received the opportunity after Pat Sims missed training camp and the majority of the preseason after sustaining a knee injury.

Geno Atkins finished his second season with a total of 47 combined tackles, 7.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and two forced fumbles in 16 games and 15 starts.

Geno Atkins led the Bengals with 7.5 sacks and tied Oakland Raiders' Tommy Kelly for the most sacks by a defensive tackle in 2011.

Geno Atkins was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl as an alternate.

Geno Atkins was officially named to his first Pro Bowl after New England Patriots' Vince Wilfork was unable to participate due to his appearance in Super Bowl XLVI.

Geno Atkins returned as the starting defensive tackle alongside Domata Peko to start the season.

On December 26,2012, it was announced that Geno Atkins was voted to the 2013 Pro Bowl and received the second most votes of any defensive tackle in 2012.

Geno Atkins was a defensive player of the year candidate and received the highest overall grade of any defensive tackle in 2012 from Pro Football Focus.

Geno Atkins left in the second quarter after sustaining an injury to his leg.

Geno Atkins finished the 2013 season with 20 combined tackles and six pass deflections in nine games and nine starts.

Geno Atkins finished the season with 34 combined tackles, three sacks, a pass deflection, and a safety in 16 games and 16 starts.

Geno Atkins was voted as an alternate for the 2015 Pro Bowl.

On January 16,2015, it was announced that Geno Atkins would replace Detroit Lions' defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in the Pro Bowl due to an injury.

Geno Atkins finished the 2015 season with 42 combined tackles and a career-high 11 sacks in 16 games and 16 starts.

On December 20,2015, the NFL announced that Geno Atkins had been voted to the 2016 Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year.

Geno Atkins was selected as a player captain along with Devonta Freeman, Aaron Donald, and Odell Beckham Jr.

Geno Atkins was ranked 29th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

Geno Atkins finished the 2016 season with 32 combined tackles and nine sacks in 16 games and 16 starts.

Geno Atkins was ranked 68th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

Geno Atkins was named the starting defensive tackle, along with Pat Sims who replaced Domata Peko after he departed for the Denver Broncos in free agency.

On December 19,2017, Geno Atkins was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.

Geno Atkins finished his eighth season in 2017 with 46 combined tackles and nine sacks in 16 games and 16 starts.

Geno Atkins played in 64 consecutive games and started 60 from 2014 to 2017.

Geno Atkins was ranked 63rd on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

On December 16,2020, Geno Atkins was placed on injured reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery, an injury he had since training camp.

Geno Atkins finished the season with only one tackle through eight games.

Geno Atkins married his college sweetheart, Kristen Merritt, on June 25,2016, at the St Regis hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta.