Gabriel Nicholas Wilkins (born January 9, 1971) is a former American football defensive end who played for the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers in a six-year career that lasted from 1994 to 1999 in the National Football League (NFL).[1]

Gabe Wilkins
No. 98
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1971-01-09) January 9, 1971 (age 53)
Cowpens, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:305 lb (138 kg)
Career information
High school:Spartanburg (SC) Broome
College:Gardner–Webb
NFL draft:1994 / Round: 4 / Pick: 126
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:84
Sacks:13.5
Fumble recoveries:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early life edit

He attended Gettys D. Broome High School.[2]

Collegiate career edit

Attending NAIA Gardner–Webb University, Wilkins recorded 29 sacks and 53 tackles for loss (both school records), and participated in the 1992 NAIA Football Championship game.[3]

Professional career edit

Green Bay Packers edit

Wilkins was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 1994 NFL Draft (fourth round, 126th overall).[4][5] After being used sparingly in his first three seasons, Wilkins performed well in relief of Reggie White during Super Bowl XXXI, recording a tackle and a deflected pass. Becoming a starter after Sean Jones retired in 1997, Wilkins finished the season with 50 tackles, 5.5 sacks, a 77-yard interception return touchdown, and a fumble recovery touchdown.[1] However, Wilkins played only one drive of Super Bowl XXXII due to a knee injury.[6]

San Francisco 49ers edit

Following the 1997 season, the San Francisco 49ers signed Wilkins to a 5-year, $20 million contract.[6] After recording 30 tackles and a sack over two years in San Francisco and being injured late in his career,[7] Wilkins retired after the 1999 season.[8]

Post-career life edit

Wilkins now lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with his wife and four daughters.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Gabe Wilkins". pro-football-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Gabe Wilkins". The Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Gabe Wilkins HOF". Gardner–Webb Athletics. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  4. ^ "1994 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  5. ^ "1994 NFL Draft Results by Position - Defensive Ends - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  6. ^ a b DILLON, DENNIS (1998-06-14). "Moves That Don't Seem to Add Up". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  7. ^ "ESPN.com: NFL – PFW: Salary-cap lessons of Cowboys, 49ers". a.espncdn.com. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  8. ^ "SUPER BOWL COUNTDOWN | 48: Gabe Wilkins found life's ultimate after Super Bowl triumph | American Sports Network". americansportsnet.com. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  9. ^ "Packers.com | News | Stories | September 14, 2006: Gabe Wilkins Has Become A Dedicated Family Man". Retrieved 2017-01-06.