One of Atwater's career highlights happened on September 17, 1990, during a Monday Night Football telecast from Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. As Kansas City Chiefs massive 260 lbs. running back Christian Okoye came through a hole in the line of scrimmage, he was met by Atwater. The resulting collision stopped Okoye in his tracks, with Atwater standing over him, taunting the proclaimed "Nigerian Nightmare", while he lay on the ground stunned. His coach Mike Shanahan stated "That's the hit people will remember him for."