Brian Dawkins

Brian Dawkins has achieved tremendous success on and off the football field. As an athlete, Dawkins excelled as a safety at Clemson University for four seasons. He received first-team All-ACC Honors and second-team All-American Honors in 1995. For his outstanding contributions, he was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

After his senior season at Clemson, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Dawkins in the 2nd Round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and he rewarded the team far beyond their expectations. Dawkins immediately cemented himself as the starting free safety during his rookie season and became the leader of one of the most feared defenses in the NFL. During his thirteen seasons with the Eagles, he led the team to the playoffs eight times and to the Super Bowl following the 2004 season. While an Eagle, Dawkins became the first player in League history to record a sack, an interception, a touchdown reception, and force a fumble in the same game. He completed his career with three outstanding seasons playing for the Denver Broncos.

In 2016, Dawkins returned to the Philadelphia Eagles as a full-time front office executive. He worked closely with upper management in various capacities and was instrumental in the Eagles’ success on and off the field. His tenure culminated in a Super Bowl LII victory, the first in franchise history.

Dawkins’ final NFL resume includes nine trips to the Pro Bowl, six All-Pro designations and a place on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000’s. He finished his career as the only player in League history to amass more than twenty-five interceptions, forced fumbles, and sacks in a career. The Eagles retired his #20 jersey in 2012, making him only the ninth player in the franchise’s nearly century-long history to be so honored. He attained the sport’s ultimate achievement when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Dawkins’ excellence, however, transcends football. The Jacksonville, Florida native demonstrated outstanding character throughout his career, giving back in many ways to the various communities he touched. In 2009, Dawkins was named the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year, the highest honor bestowed by the NFLPA on a player for his dedication to community service. In recognition of Dawkins’ integrity and community service, Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney established the “Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2013, given annually to a former Clemson football player who demonstrates exemplary leadership and community service.

In 2019, Dawkins established The Brian Dawkins Impact Foundation to help disadvantaged young people, families and communities while promoting spiritual, cerebral, and physical wellness. The Foundation believes in the power of transformative moments to trigger a spark in young people who have the desire to make positive decisions in life and merely need the tools to make it happen, resulting in positive ripple effects on families and ultimately, on entire communities.

Dawkins is happily married to Connie Dawkins. They have four children. The family currently resides in Orlando, Florida.