View source for Steve Atwater

{{Short description|American football player (born 1966)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Steve Atwater
| image       =Steve Atwater (250130-M-LM126-1122) (cropped).jpg
| image_size  = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = Atwater in 2025
| number      = 27
| position    = [[Safety (gridiron football position)|Safety]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1966|10|28}}
| birth_place = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 218
| high_school = [[Lutheran High School North (Missouri)|Lutheran North]] {{nowrap|([[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]])}}
| college     = [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]] (1985–1988)
| draftyear   = 1989
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 20
| pastteams   =
* [[Denver Broncos]] ({{NFL Year|1989|1998}})
* [[New York Jets]] ({{NFL Year|1999}})
| highlights  =
* 2× [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXXII|XXXII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIII|XXXIII]])
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1991 All-Pro Team|1991]], [[1992 All-Pro Team|1992]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[1990 All-Pro Team|1990]], [[1996 All-Pro Team|1996]])
* 8× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1991 Pro Bowl|1990]]–[[1997 Pro Bowl|1996]], [[1999 Pro Bowl|1998]])
* [[NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]] 
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1989|1989]])
* [[Denver Broncos Ring of Fame]]
* 2× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] ([[1986 All-Southwest Conference football team|1986]], [[1988 All-Southwest Conference football team|1988]])
* Second-team All-SWC ([[1987 All-Southwest Conference football team|1987]])
| statlabel1  = Total [[Tackle (football move)#Gridiron football|tackles]]
| statvalue1  = 1,188
| statlabel2  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2  = 24
| statlabel3  = Interception yards
| statvalue3  = 408
| statlabel4  = Forced [[fumble]]s
| statvalue4  = 6
| statlabel5  = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue5  = 8
| statlabel6  = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue6  = 5
| statlabel7  = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue7  = 1
| pfr         = A/AtwaSt00
| HOF         = steve-atwater 
}}

'''Stephen Dennis Atwater''' (born October 28, 1966) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[Safety (American football position)|safety]] for the [[Denver Broncos]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was an eight-time [[Pro Bowl]] selection and two-time [[Super Bowl]] champion. Atwater was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] on February 1, 2020.

Atwater and [[Dennis Smith (American football)|Dennis Smith]] made up a Broncos secondary that was known for their ferocious hits on opposing players.

==Early life==
Atwater attended [[Lutheran High School North (Missouri)|Lutheran High School North]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] and was the school's top athlete, playing football, basketball, and track.<ref name=LHSASTL>{{cite web |url=http://www.lhsastl.org/web/varticle.asp?articleid=1450&class=article |title=Lutheran High School Association of St. Louis |access-date=February 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508042925/http://lhsastl.org/web/varticle.asp?articleid=1450&class=article |archive-date=May 8, 2010 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O’Halloran |first1=Ryan |title="Amazing" high school experience created foundation for Steve Atwater's Hall of Fame career |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2021/08/07/steve-atwater-broncos-hall-of-fame-career-high-school-experience/ |access-date=21 July 2024 |agency=The Denver Post |issue=7 August 2021}}</ref> Atwater also is sixth on Lutheran North's all-time passing yards in a season with 1,097 yards in his junior year.

==College career==
Atwater signed with the [[Arkansas Razorbacks|University of Arkansas]], 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.<ref name="hogwired.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hogwired.com//pdf4/133090.pdf?SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100 |title=Archived copy |access-date=June 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728190548/http://www.hogwired.com//pdf4/133090.pdf?SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100 |archive-date=July 28, 2012 }}</ref>

During his senior year, Atwater helped the [[1988 Arkansas Razorbacks football team]] finish the season at 10-2 and win the Southwest Conference championship outright, but lost to UCLA and QB [[Troy Aikman]] in the [[1989 Cotton Bowl Classic]] on New Year's Day. 1988 bookended his college career since Arkansas also finished 10–2 after beating Arizona State 18–17 in the [[1985 Holiday Bowl]] during Atwater's freshman season.

Helping Atwater's stock as a pro prospect was his appearance in the [[East West Shrine Game|East-West Shrine Game]], where he logged two interceptions. He was also named defensive most valuable player in the 1989 East-West Shrine Game.

He still holds the school record with 14 interceptions in his career.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/pdf8/772749.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=6100 |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 18, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123111931/http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/pdf8/772749.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=6100 |archive-date=November 23, 2011 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="hogwired.com"/>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 3 1/2
|       weight = 212
|         dash = 4.63
|    ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.75
|      shuttle = 4.14
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 37.5
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 6
|        bench = 7
|     arm span =
|    hand span =
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=25611 |title=Steve Atwater, Combine Results, FS - Arkansas |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=November 15, 2021}}</ref>
}}

Atwater was selected by the [[Denver Broncos]] in the first round (20th overall) of the [[1989 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1989/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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 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 the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]' [[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 [[American Football Conference|AFC]] [[Super Bowl]] representative in 1989.

Atwater's second season marked the first of seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1990–96), 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 played in 14 post-season games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steve Atwater Playoffs Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AtwaSt00/gamelog/post/ |access-date=2025-08-03 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

One of Atwater's career highlights happened on September 17, 1990, during a [[Monday Night Football]] telecast from Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. As the Kansas City Chiefs' massive 260 lbs. running back [[Christian Okoye]] came through a hole in the line of scrimmage, he was met by Atwater. The resulting collision stopped Okoye in his tracks, with Atwater standing over him, taunting the proclaimed "Nigerian Nightmare", while he lay on the ground stunned. His coach [[Mike Shanahan]] stated "That's the hit people will remember him for."<ref name="retirement"/>

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 the [[Green Bay Packers]]' 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 game was tied at 24 and Green Bay had the ball on 3rd down & 8. 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 three players, including Atwater, Packers wide receiver [[Robert Brooks (American football)|Robert Brooks]], and his teammate, Broncos cornerback [[Randy Hilliard]]) 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 straight year, marking Super Bowl XXXIII as Atwater's final game with the Broncos.

Atwater left the Broncos following the 1998 season, signing with the [[New York Jets]] as a [[free agent]] for his final season in 1999. Atwater played for the New York Jets for one season and became a free agent. He called Broncos owner [[Pat Bowlen]], asking him if he could retire as a Bronco. He signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Broncos before announcing his retirement from football.<ref name="retirement">{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-30969919.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140311185032/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-30969919.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 11, 2014|title=Steve Atwater Retires as a Bronco|date=August 18, 2000|work=AP Online|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref> He thanked several of his coaches, stating "I bleed orange and will always bleed orange and blue."<ref name="retirement"/> At the time of his retirement, he played in 155 consecutive games with the Broncos. Bowlen called Atwater one of the Broncos' "greatest players".<ref name="retirement"/>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|-
| <u>Underline</u>
| Incomplete data
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="4"| Tackles
! colspan="6"| Interceptions
! colspan="5"| Fumbles
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Cmb|Total tackles}} !! {{abbr|Solo|Solo tackles}} !! {{abbr|Ast|Assists on tackles}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Sacks}} !! {{abbr|PD|Pass deflections}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions on defense}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Interception return yardage}} !! {{abbr|Y/I|Yards per interception return}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest interception return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdowns}} !! {{abbr|FF|Forced fumbles}} !! {{abbr|FR|Fumbles recovered}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Fumble recovery returns yardage}} !! {{abbr|Y/F|Yards per fumble recovery return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns}}
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 129 || — || — || 0.0 || — || 3 || 34 || 11.3 || 30 || 0 || — || 1 || '''29''' || '''29.0''' || 0
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 15 || 15 || '''173''' || — || — || '''1.0''' || — || 2 || 32 || 16.0 || 27 || 0 || '''2''' || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 150 || — || — || '''1.0''' || — || '''5''' || '''104''' || 20.8 || 49 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 15 || 15 || 151 || — || — || '''1.0''' || — || 2 || 22 || 11.0 || 22 || 0 || — || '''2''' || 1 || 0.5 || 0
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 141 || — || — || '''1.0''' || — || 2 || 81 || '''40.5''' || '''68''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 14 || 14 || 74 || 52 || 22 || 0.0 || — || 1 || 24 || 24.0 || 24 || 0 || 1 || '''2''' || 17 || 8.5 || 0
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 103 || '''82''' || 21 || 0.0 || — || 3 || 54 || 18.0 || 25 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 81 || 64 || 17 || 0.0 || — || 3 || 11 || 3.7 || 11 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1997 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 15 || 15 || 68 || 53 || 15 || '''1.0''' || — || 2 || 42 || 21.0 || 22 || '''1''' || 0 || '''2''' || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1998 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 55 || 43 || 12 || 0.0 || — || 1 || 4 || 4.0 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 New York Jets season|NYJ]]
| 12 || 11 || 63 || 40 || '''23''' || 0.0 || '''1''' || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || — || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AtwaSt00.htm Career] !! 167 !! 166 !! 1,188 !! <u>334</u> !! <u>110</u> !! 5.0 !! <u>1</u> !! 24 !! 408 !! 17.0 !! 68 !! 1 !! <u>6</u> !! 8 !! 47 !! 5.9 !! 0
|}

===Postseason===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="4"| Tackles
! colspan="6"| Interceptions
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Cmb|Total tackles}} !! {{abbr|Solo|Solo tackles}} !! {{abbr|Ast|Assists on tackles}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Sacks}} !! {{abbr|PD|Pass deflections}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions on defense}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Interception return yardage}} !! {{abbr|Y/I|Yards per interception return}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest interception return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdowns}}
|-
! [[1989–90 NFL playoffs|1989]] !! [[1989 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || 3 || — || — || 0.0 || — || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1991–92 NFL playoffs|1991]] !! [[1991 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 2 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || '''0''' || '''1''' || 0 || '''0.0''' || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1993–94 NFL playoffs|1993]] !! [[1993 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || — || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1996–97 NFL playoffs|1996]] !! [[1996 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 1 || 1 || 6 || 6 || 0 || 0.0 || — || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1997–98 NFL playoffs|1997]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1997 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''4''' || '''4''' || 9 || 5 || '''4''' || '''1.0''' || — || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1998–99 NFL playoffs|1998]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1998 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 3 || 3 || '''10''' || '''9''' || 1 || 0.0 || — || 0 || 0 || — || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AtwaSt00/gamelog/post/ Career] !! 14 !! 14 !! 28 !! <u>23</u> !! <u>5</u> !! 1.0 !! <u>0</u> !! 1 !! 0 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0
|}

==Legacy==
Atwater was inducted to the [http://www.denverbroncos.com/team/tradition/ring-of-fame.html Broncos' Ring of Fame] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119092428/http://www.denverbroncos.com/team/tradition/ring-of-fame.html |date=November 19, 2011 }} in 2005. In 2017, Atwater was hired as both an insider for the Broncos' website as well as fan development manager.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Florio |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Florio |date=2017-07-23 |title=Steve Atwater rejoins Broncos, in multiple roles |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/steve-atwater-rejoins-broncos-in-multiple-roles |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=NBC Sports}}</ref>

Atwater was among 27 modern-era semifinalists for the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] class of 2012. He was one of four previously eligible candidates that made it to the semifinals for the first time. Atwater also made the finalist list for the 2016 and 2020 classes.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120723185055/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/11/22/pro.football.hall.of.fame.semifinalists.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a13 sportsillustrated.cnn.com] </ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/brett-favre-highlights-15-finalists-for-pro-football-hall-of-fame-013920617.html|title = Yahoo Sports NFL | date=January 8, 2016 }}</ref>

After 16 years, Atwater was selected to the 2020 Hall of Fame class on February 1, 2020.<ref>{{cite web | last=O’Halloran | first=Ryan | title=Broncos safety Steve Atwater elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame | website=The Denver Post | date=2020-02-01 | url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/02/01/broncos-pro-football-hall-of-fame-2020/ | access-date=2025-06-29}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Footballstats |pfr=AtwaSt00}}

{{1989 NFL Draft}}
{{BroncosFirstPick}}
{{Broncos1989DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XXXII}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIII}}
{{NFL1990s}}
{{Broncos50th}}
{{Denver Broncos Ring of Honor}}
{{2020 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atwater, Steve}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:American football safeties]]
[[Category:Arkansas Razorbacks football players]]
[[Category:Denver Broncos players]]
[[Category:New York Jets players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Chicago]]
[[Category:Players of American football from St. Louis]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]