About Chief Elkins
Lived 1899 – 1966 (aged 66). Chief Elkins was an American american football player.
Fait Vernon "Chief" Elkins (August 16, 1899 – August 9, 1966) was an American football player and decathlete.
Elkins was born in Utica, New York, in 1899. He enrolled at the Haskell Indian School at age 15. He held the national decathlon record in 1928 while attending Nebraska. He pulled a tendon that prevented him from competing in the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Elkins also played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) as a back for the Frankford Yellow Jackets (1928–1929), Chicago Cardinals (1929), and Cincinnati Reds (1933). He appeared in 20 NFL games, 10 as a starter.
Elkins died in Philadelphia in 1966.
He was posthumously profiled by Sports Illustrated in 1991 as "among the greatest athletes ever seen in this country — a golden sportsman during sport's golden age."
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Chief Elkins?
American football player
When was Chief Elkins born?
Chief Elkins was born on 16 August 1899 in Utica.
When did Chief Elkins die?
Chief Elkins died on 10 August 1966.
What was Chief Elkins's occupation?
Chief Elkins was an american football player.
What nationality was Chief Elkins?
Chief Elkins was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Chief Elkins. https://biography.guide/chief-elkins/
MLA: "Chief Elkins." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/chief-elkins/.
Chicago: "Chief Elkins." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/chief-elkins/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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