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| Akeem Hicks | |
|---|---|
| Name | Akeem Hicks |
| Birth date | 16 November 1988 |
| Birth place | St. James, Louisiana |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in |
| Weight | 315 lb |
| Position | Defensive end |
| College | Hutchinson Community College; Illinois |
| Undraftedyear | 2012 |
| Teams | Tampa Bay Buccaneers; New Orleans Saints; Chicago Bears; New England Patriots |
Akeem Hicks (born November 16, 1988) is an American former professional American football defensive end and defensive tackle who played in the National Football League from 2012 to 2020. After playing college football at Hutchinson Community College and the University of Illinois, he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bears. Hicks is noted for his run-stopping ability, pass-rush production, and career longevity across multiple NFC and AFC franchises.
Born in St. James, Louisiana, Hicks attended East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana where he played high school football and participated in regional Louisiana high school athletics. Following high school, he enrolled at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas and competed for the Blue Dragons before transferring to the University of Illinois to play for the Fighting Illini. At Illinois he played under head coach Ron Zook and later Tim Beckman, working within defenses influenced by coordinators and schematics familiar to the Big Ten Conference’s style of play. During his collegiate career he faced opponents from programs such as Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, and Northwestern University, developing techniques observed in NFL scouting combines and pro day evaluations.
Hicks entered the professional ranks in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later joining the New Orleans Saints practice squad. He made his NFL debut after signing with the Chicago Bears in 2013, becoming part of defenses coordinated by coaches like Mel Tucker and later Vic Fangio. With the Bears he recorded multi-sack games and a series of impactful tackles against clubs such as the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, and New York Giants. In 2017 he signed a multi-year contract extension with the Bears, a deal negotiated amid roster moves involving figures like Ryan Pace and John Fox in the front office and coaching staff. Hicks missed time in the 2019 season due to a knee injury requiring surgery performed by team medical staff associated with the Bears and later returned to play before being released in 2020. He briefly joined the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints roster phases during the 2020 offseason and practice squad cycles before concluding his NFL playing tenure.
Hicks played both defensive end and interior defensive tackle roles within 4–3 and 3–4 fronts, aligning against offensive lines featuring talents such as Trent Williams, Jason Peters, Joe Staley, and Brandon Brooks. Known for strength at the point of attack, Hicks used hand-fighting techniques and leverage concepts common to linemen trained by coaches from Arkansas Razorbacks football and Clemson Tigers football coaching trees. His statistical output includes total tackles, tackles for loss, quarterback pressures, sacks, forced fumbles, and passes defended compiled across regular-season games versus teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. Key performances included multi-sack efforts that impacted division races within the NFC North and contributed to games against Chicago Bears rivals and playoff contenders such as the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
Hicks has maintained connections to his Louisiana roots in St. James Parish, Louisiana and participated in community initiatives and youth football camps similar to programs run by former NFL players from Louisiana State University and Tulane University. Off the field he has interacted with agents and advisors associated with NFLPA representation during contract negotiations, and has been involved with charitable activities alongside teammates from the Bears and visiting players from franchises such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
During his career Hicks earned recognition in team-specific awards and was highlighted in weekly NFL media coverage for standout performances against opponents like the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. He received organizational honors from the Chicago Bears for leadership and performance, and his collegiate play at Illinois was noted in Big Ten Conference summaries. While not selected to Pro Bowl rosters or named an All-Pro by national committees, his career included contract milestones and in-season accolades acknowledged by local media outlets in cities including Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Category:1988 births Category:Players of American football from Louisiana Category:American football defensive ends Category:Chicago Bears players