He gained fame for his role as
Dr. Michael Gallant, a character that debuted in the eighth season (2001) of the
NBC medical drama
ER. He left
ER after the 2003–2004 season. In 2004, he went on to star in the short-lived police drama
Hawaii as former
Chicago Police Department Detective John Declan, who transferred to an elite crime unit of the
Honolulu Police Department. Atkins continued to make guest appearances in both the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 seasons of
ER, with his character returning on leave from duty in
Iraq as a
U.S. Army physician. His character was killed in Iraq at the end of the 2005–2006 season. Atkins also portrayed the recurring character Gary Navarro in the series
The 4400. In 2005, Atkins appeared in the TV sitcom
Eve as Shelly's boyfriend Grant. Atkins played Special Agent
Clinton Jones in USA Network's
White Collar from 2009 to 2014. He has appeared as Assistant United States Attorney Rivers in the CBS drama
The Good Wife. In 2009, he appeared in season 4, episode 25 of
Criminal Minds - "To Hell..." as Sgt. William Hightower. Atkins has also guest-starred in season 8 of
CSI: Miami. In 2014, he appeared as a
Nova Corps pilot in
Guardians of the Galaxy. In 2021, he began a recurring role as Norman 'Boom Boom" Gates in
NCIS: Hawaiʻi until the series was cancelled in 2024. ==Filmography==