Tim Atchison
{{Short description|American football player (born 1987)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tim Atchison
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| number = 36
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|09|27}}
| birth_place = Houston, Texas
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Copperas Cave (TX)
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 200
| college = Baylor
| undraftedyear = 2011
| pastteams =
- St. Louis Rams ({{NFL Year|2011}})
}}
Timothy Drew Atchison (born September 27, 1987) is a former American football safety. He played college football for the Baylor University. He also played briefly in the National Football League for the St. Louis Rams in 2011, but was released early in the season after a hamstring injury.
Early years
Atchison was born in 1987 in Houston. He attended Copperas Cove High School in Copperas Cove, Texas.{{cite web|title=Tim Atchison|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=February 20, 2022|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playera/atch01000.html}} He returned three interceptions for touchdowns, returned a blocked kick for another touchdown, and helped the 2005 Copperas Cove team to a 13-1 record.
College career
In February 2006, after being heavily recruited by multiple schools, Atchison signed a letter of intent to play college football at Baylor University.{{cite news|title=National Signing Day: Six Bulldawgs sign letters of intent to play college ball|newspaper=The Killeen Daily Herald|author=Monty Campbell|date=February 2, 2000|url=https://kdhnews.com/sports/national-signing-day-six-bulldawgs-sign-letters-of-intent-to-play-college-ball/article_25772a1a-189b-542c-b1d0-3cc51bc7339c.html}} He played for the Baylor Bears football team from 2006 to 2010.{{cite news|title=Baylor's hard-hitting safety can't stay off field|newspaper=Waco Tribune-Herald|date=November 5, 2010|author=John Werner|url=https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylors-hard-hitting-safety-cant-stay-off-field/article%20f985f975-1a0f-52bc-a924-858f2341d7c6.html}}{{cite news|title=Baylor's safeties pack some punch|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=August 28, 2010|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/baylor-bears/2010/08/28/baylor-s-safeties-pack-some-punch/}} He was true freshman in 2006 and a redshirt freshman in 2007. As a sophomore in 2008, he played in 11 of 12 games, starting in three, and totaled 31 tackles (21 solo) and three pass breakups.{{cite web|title=#8 Tim Atchison|publisher=Baylor University|accessdate=February 20, 2022|url=https://baylorbears.com/sports/football/roster/tim-atchison/1756}}
As a junior in 2009, he was moved from safety to cornerback. He started all 12 games at left cornerback. He sustained a broken hand in the fourth game and wore a club-like cast to protect the arm for the remaining games.{{cite news|title=Defense replaces 2009 leaders with new talent, speed|newspaper=The Baylor Lariat|author=Chris Derrett|date=August 23, 2010|page=B4|url=https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/118183.pdf}} He continued to start every game and totaled 42 tackles (29 solo), two tackles for loss, one interception and five passes broken up on the season.
As a senior in 2010, he returned to the safety position where he had played prior to the 2009 season. At the time, he noted: "I have been playing safety most of my life. I like the fact that free safety is kind of the leader of the defense. It is my job to make sure everybody is lined up right and to get us in the right defense."{{cite web|title=Baylor Student-Athlete Spotlight: Tim Atchison|publisher=Big 12 Sports|date=November 4, 2010|url=https://big12sports.com/news/2010/11/4/205023486.aspx}} Baylor coach Art Briles described free safety as a more natural position for Atchison.{{Cite news|title=Baylor football's last line of defense lays down law|newspaper=Waco Tribune-Herald|author=John Werner|date=August 28, 2010|url=https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylor-footballs-last-line-of-defense-lays-down-law/article_fadbb042-69da-5330-b2e1-1ea6b07c7acf.html}} Atchison started all 13 games at free safety in 2020, totaling 72 tackles (58 solo) and a team-high nine pass breakups. On October 1, 2010, he returned an interception for a touchdown, helping Baylor to its biggest conference win ever, a 55-7 blowout over Kansas.{{cite news|title=Baylor records biggest conference win ever, 55-7|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=October 2, 2010|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/college-football/article/Baylor-records-biggest-conference-win-ever-55-7-1619325.php}} After the 2010 season, he played in the 2011 Eastham Energy All-Star Game.
Professional career
Atchison was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent in September 2011.{{cite news|title=Atchison, Porter added to roster: Defensive back, running back provide some depth to team after recent injuries|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|author=Kathleen Nelson|date=September 15, 2011|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-add-db-atchison-rb-porter-to-roster/article_386cd704-5cb0-513b-b5fd-76fbdfef31b0.html}} On September 19, 2011, in the fourth quarter of his first NFL game, a nationally-televised loss to the New York Giants, Atchison suffered a grade 2 strain to his hamstring.{{cite news|title=Atchison injury leaves Rams thin at CB|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|author=Kathleen Nelson|date=September 21, 2011|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/atchison-injury-leaves-rams-thin-at-cb/article_f849f696-e3c4-11e0-be9a-0019bb30f31a.html}} He was released on September 26, 2011.{{cite news|accessdate=February 20, 2022|publisher=Los Angeles Rams|title=Transactions|url=https://www.therams.com/team/transactions/2011}}