Following his competitive retirement he remained connected with the sport and served as director of The Armory Track and Field Center between 2006 and 2011.

He attended Georgia Tech where he earned a bachelor's degree at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering in June 1993.

His first international success was a gold medal double in the 400 m hurdles and 4 × 400-meter relay at the 1989 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships.

[5] At the 1995 World Championships in Goteborg, Sweden, Adkins won the gold narrowly ahead of his career long rival Samuel Matete from Zambia in a time of 47.98 seconds.

Then just before the Games in Atlanta, Adkins defeated Matete in the Paris Grand Prix at the Stade de France in a time of 47.70.

[6] In October 1996, local authorities of his hometown of Lakeview lobbied to change the name of the street where he was raised, from Seneca Road to Derrick Adkins Lane.

He was influential in the decision to bring the Millrose Games from Madison Square Garden to The Armory where it continues to be staged annually.

The Nassau County Public Corruption Bureau investigated the case and thereafter issued a written admonishment to the Long Beach Police Department.

On December 17, 2022, the New York Times published an article wherein Adkins states that his depression emerged from head injuries which he had experienced as an athlete due to hurdle collisions.