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Pervis R. Atkins Jr. (November 24, 1935 – December 22, 2017) was an American football player.

Pervis Atkins

No. 27, 25, 39
Position:	Running back / tight end
Personal information
Born:	(1935-11-24)November 24, 1935 Ruston, Louisiana
Died:	December 22, 2017(2017-12-22) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	Oakland Tech (Oakland, California)
College:	New Mexico State
NFL Draft:	1960 / Round: 3 / Pick: 30
AFL Draft:	1960 / Round: Second Selections (by the Minneapolis AFL team)
Career history
Los Angeles Rams (1961–1963) Washington Redskins (1964–1965) Oakland Raiders (1965–1966)
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Early years

Atkins was born in Ruston, Louisiana,[1] and raised in Oakland, California.[2] He graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1953.[3]

College football

After attending Santa Ana Junior College,[4] he played college football at New Mexico State University,[1] where he was a halfback, flanker, and placekicker. In 1959, he became the first of four straight New Mexico State University players to lead the nation in rushing yardage with 130 carries for 971 yards.^{[citation needed]} He was the first New Mexico State University football player to be named to the Associated Press All-America first team.[5]

In 1959, Atkins led the nation in yards per carry (7.5), total points (107), and yards per punt return (17.7). As of December 2017, he still held New Mexico State University's records for yards per carry for a career (8.1), punt return average for a career (15.1), and punt return average for a season (21. 8).[6]

Professional football

He played professionally in the American Football League for the Oakland Raiders in 1965 and 1966. He had previously played for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins. On April 30, 2009, Atkins was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.[7]

Show business

Also an actor and producer,[8] Atkins appeared in the 1974 feature film The Longest Yard,[1] the made-for-TV movie The Desperate Miles, and the 1976 pilot for the TV series Delvecchio, as well as a guest-starring role in an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. He resided in Los Angeles until his death.[9]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1974	The Longest Yard	Mawabe

Death

On December 22, 2017, Atkins died in the Los Angeles area. He had been in an assisted-living facility and had suffered from dementia. He was 82 years old.[8]

See also

• List of American Football League players
• List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders
• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders
• List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders

References

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