Steve Atwater
Encyclopedia
Stephen Dennis "Smiling Assassin" Atwater (born October 28, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former American football
player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos
of the NFL
. Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players. Atwater was an eight-time Pro Bowl
selection and two-time Super Bowl
Champion.
in St. Louis, Missouri
and was the school's top scholar-athlete. He was also the only player to ever win a Super Bowl out of that school. Atwater was selected all-conference and league Most Valuable Player as an option style quarterback
. He credits his coach there, Mike Russell, as serving as a mentor for him both as a football player and becoming an exemplary citizen. Atwater also is sixth on Lutheran North's all-time passing yards in a season with 1,097 yards in his junior year.
, where he was moved from quarterback to safety. He was named to the All-Southwest Conference team three times and named as an All-American twice. Atwater finished as the Razorbacks' all-time leader in interceptions with 14.
Helping Atwater's stock as a pro prospect was his appearance in the Senior Bowl
, where he logged two interceptions. He was also named defensive most valuable player in the 1989 East-West Shrine Game.
In 1994, Atwater was named to the Razorback All-Century Team and the All-Decade Team for the 1980s. He was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 1998.
by the Broncos with the 20th pick in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft
. The Broncos began the draft with the 13th overall pick and were hoping to upgrade their defense which had ranked 27th (out of a possible 28) against the run the previous year. Knowing that Atwater would be available in the later parts of the first round, the Broncos traded down to the 20th overall pick owned by the Cleveland Browns
who selected Eric Metcalf
with Denver's 13th overall pick. Atwater was projected by most as the second-best safety in the draft behind Louis Oliver
who was selected by the Miami Dolphins
with the 25th overall pick. However, then-head coach Dan Reeves
selected Atwater over Oliver because of his leadership skills, which Reeves felt were badly needed following the defense's let downs during the 1988 season.
New defensive coordinator
Wade Phillips
employed Atwater close to the line of scrimmage
in order to fortify Denver's run defense and he led the team in tackles, finishing with 129 tackles his rookie season. Denver's defense jumped an 20 spots to finish 7th against the run and tied for 3rd best in yards per carry with a 3.7 yard average. That same year, Atwater finished 2nd to Kansas City's
Derrick Thomas
in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The additions of rookies Atwater and Bobby Humphrey
, along with key free agent signings, helped Denver rebound from 8-8 in 1988 to AFC
Super Bowl
representative in 1989.
Atwater's second season marked the first of seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1990–1996), tied for most in franchise history. Over his career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, second most in franchise history. Early in his career, Atwater teamed with fellow Broncos safety Dennis Smith to form one of the best safety tandems of their generation. Both would later be inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame. During his 10-year career in Denver, Atwater started in 155 games, tying him for seventh in franchise history for games started. He also started in 14 post-season games.
In Super Bowl XXXII
, he posted one of the better performances by a safety in a Super Bowl and one of the greatest games of his career. In that game, he is credited with six solo tackles, one sack, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. His presence near the line of scrimmage kept Green Bay's
running game in check. His sack and forced fumble resulted in three critical points in the second quarter when the Broncos offense had stalled without star running back Terrell Davis
. Near the end of the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 24 and Green Bay had the ball on a third down with eight yards to go for a first down. Atwater knocked down a critical pass on a blitz where the receiver was left wide open, forcing the Packers to punt. Then on Green Bay's final drive, Atwater's vicious hit (which nearly knocked out two players, a Packers player and a Broncos player) with less than a minute remaining left the Packers in 4th and 6 situation without any remaining timeouts, due to NFL rules regarding injuries to players in the final two minutes of a game. Many argued that Atwater should have been the MVP of the game and the ensuing article in The Sporting News
pictured Atwater and noted the impact of his hits on the game.
Super Bowl XXXII was Atwater's last great game, and 1997 his last great season. In 1998, he was relegated to only playing on 1st and 2nd downs and replaced on 3rd downs. Nevertheless, because of the viewership of the Super Bowl from the previous year, he was voted as an AFC Pro Bowl starter for an eighth and final time. Following the Pro Bowl voting, the Denver Post noted that Atwater's selection to the Pro Bowl was due to his play in the previous year's Super Bowl. Denver went on to win the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year, marking Super Bowl XXXIII as Atwater's final game with the Denver Broncos.
as a free agent
for his final season in 1999. Atwater played for the New York Jets for one season, then retired. He signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Broncos before announcing his retirement from football.
Atwater is currently among 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
class of 2012. He is one of four previously eligible candidates that made it to the semifinals for the first time.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who spent most of his career playing free safety for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Atwater and Dennis Smith made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players. Atwater was an eight-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection and two-time Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Champion.
Early life
He attended Lutheran High School NorthLutheran High School North (Missouri)
Lutheran High School North is a parochial Christian school in St. Louis County, Missouri in the United States. It currently offers education in grades nine through twelve, and is associated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. It is a Christian, mission-driven school that is centered in Jesus...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and was the school's top scholar-athlete. He was also the only player to ever win a Super Bowl out of that school. Atwater was selected all-conference and league Most Valuable Player as an option style quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. He credits his coach there, Mike Russell, as serving as a mentor for him both as a football player and becoming an exemplary citizen. Atwater also is sixth on Lutheran North's all-time passing yards in a season with 1,097 yards in his junior year.
College
Atwater signed with the University of ArkansasArkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
, where he was moved from quarterback to safety. He was named to the All-Southwest Conference team three times and named as an All-American twice. Atwater finished as the Razorbacks' all-time leader in interceptions with 14.
Helping Atwater's stock as a pro prospect was his appearance in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
, where he logged two interceptions. He was also named defensive most valuable player in the 1989 East-West Shrine Game.
In 1994, Atwater was named to the Razorback All-Century Team and the All-Decade Team for the 1980s. He was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor in 1998.
Denver Broncos
Atwater was drafted out of the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
by the Broncos with the 20th pick in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft
1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24 , 1989...
. The Broncos began the draft with the 13th overall pick and were hoping to upgrade their defense which had ranked 27th (out of a possible 28) against the run the previous year. Knowing that Atwater would be available in the later parts of the first round, the Broncos traded down to the 20th overall pick owned by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
who selected Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football running back and wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Browns, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins and Packers...
with Denver's 13th overall pick. Atwater was projected by most as the second-best safety in the draft behind Louis Oliver
Louis Oliver
Louis Oliver, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
who was selected by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the 25th overall pick. However, then-head coach Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
selected Atwater over Oliver because of his leadership skills, which Reeves felt were badly needed following the defense's let downs during the 1988 season.
New defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
employed Atwater close to the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
in order to fortify Denver's run defense and he led the team in tackles, finishing with 129 tackles his rookie season. Denver's defense jumped an 20 spots to finish 7th against the run and tied for 3rd best in yards per carry with a 3.7 yard average. That same year, Atwater finished 2nd to Kansas City's
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
Derrick Thomas
Derrick Thomas
Derrick Vincent Thomas , nicknamed D.T., was an American football linebacker and defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . He played his entire 11-year career for the Chiefs after being drafted fourth overall in the 1989 NFL Draft...
in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. The additions of rookies Atwater and Bobby Humphrey
Bobby Humphrey
Bobby Gene Humphrey is a former professional American football player who was selected in the first round by the Denver Broncos in the 1989 NFL Supplemental Draft after a stellar career at the University of Alabama...
, along with key free agent signings, helped Denver rebound from 8-8 in 1988 to AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
representative in 1989.
Atwater's second season marked the first of seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1990–1996), tied for most in franchise history. Over his career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, second most in franchise history. Early in his career, Atwater teamed with fellow Broncos safety Dennis Smith to form one of the best safety tandems of their generation. Both would later be inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame. During his 10-year career in Denver, Atwater started in 155 games, tying him for seventh in franchise history for games started. He also started in 14 post-season games.
In Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
, he posted one of the better performances by a safety in a Super Bowl and one of the greatest games of his career. In that game, he is credited with six solo tackles, one sack, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. His presence near the line of scrimmage kept Green Bay's
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
running game in check. His sack and forced fumble resulted in three critical points in the second quarter when the Broncos offense had stalled without star running back Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
. Near the end of the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 24 and Green Bay had the ball on a third down with eight yards to go for a first down. Atwater knocked down a critical pass on a blitz where the receiver was left wide open, forcing the Packers to punt. Then on Green Bay's final drive, Atwater's vicious hit (which nearly knocked out two players, a Packers player and a Broncos player) with less than a minute remaining left the Packers in 4th and 6 situation without any remaining timeouts, due to NFL rules regarding injuries to players in the final two minutes of a game. Many argued that Atwater should have been the MVP of the game and the ensuing article in The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
pictured Atwater and noted the impact of his hits on the game.
Super Bowl XXXII was Atwater's last great game, and 1997 his last great season. In 1998, he was relegated to only playing on 1st and 2nd downs and replaced on 3rd downs. Nevertheless, because of the viewership of the Super Bowl from the previous year, he was voted as an AFC Pro Bowl starter for an eighth and final time. Following the Pro Bowl voting, the Denver Post noted that Atwater's selection to the Pro Bowl was due to his play in the previous year's Super Bowl. Denver went on to win the Super Bowl for a second consecutive year, marking Super Bowl XXXIII as Atwater's final game with the Denver Broncos.
New York Jets
Atwater left the Broncos following the 1998 season, signing with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
for his final season in 1999. Atwater played for the New York Jets for one season, then retired. He signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Broncos before announcing his retirement from football.
Legacy
Atwater was inducted to the Broncos' Ring of Fame in 2005.Atwater is currently among 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
class of 2012. He is one of four previously eligible candidates that made it to the semifinals for the first time.