Join the Miguel Delaney team: Inside Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter to get exclusive access and unparalleled insight. Football NewsletterJoin the Miguel Delaney inside Football George Atkinson died on Monday at age 78. Although the Raiders did not disclose the cause of death, they announced that he had passed away. Atkinson disclosed symptoms that were consistent with chronic trauma encephalopathy in a 2016 San Jose Mercury News interview.“George’s contributions as a friend and mentor to everyone in the Raiders organization continued long after his playing career, and his genuine personality and wonderful sense of humor will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him,” The team released a statement. Atkinson played in 144 games during his career. He spent 10 years with the Oakland Raiders before spending a final year with the Denver Broncos. He played in 7 AFL or AFC Championship games and helped his Raiders team win the Super Bowl in 1976. His 33 career interceptions in regular and playoff play rank fourth in Raiders history. (AP Photo/David Richard) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.“Football is a collision sport,” Atkinson spoke to the San Jose Mercury News back in 2016. “If you don’t have a certain mentality you will get run out of the game.”Atkinson became a Raider after being selected in the 7th round in 1968. He was a part of a great draft class which included Hall of Famer Ken Stabler as well as Art Shell and running backs Marv Hubard, Charlie Smith and others who helped make the Raiders one of top teams in the NFL in the 1970s.“We became part of the nucleus for the Raiders from that draft,” Atkinson told the website of the team that he once spoke to. “We wore the Silver and Black with pride. We understood what the tradition was and what we had to live up to.”Atkinson, who was an AFL Pro-Bowl returner and defensiveback in his first two years, played a key role. In his first two years, he was selected to the AFL Pro Bowl for his performance as a defensive back and returner. He later joined the NFL’s most feared safety pair after Jack Tatum had been drafted first in 1971.“We never go out on the field with the intention of trying to hurt anyone but we go out with intentions of getting our jobs done,” Atkinson stated at the time. “If you don’t want to get hit, it’s best not to show up when we play Sunday. I guarantee you will get hit.” Open image in galleryFormer Oakland Raiders’ player George Atkinson lights a torch in honor of former Raiders’ owner Al Davis, before a NFL football match between the Oakland Raiders vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, in Oakland, Calif. on Oct. 21, 2012 (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu file) (Copyright – 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved.Atkinson’s best hits were against Hall of Fame Pittsburgh receiver Lynn Swann. He knocked Swann unconscious in the 1975 AFC title game. Then, in the 1976 opener of the season, he used a forearm in the back of his head to knock him out. Swann had not even touched the ball.“Maybe a little outside of the rules but that was George’s way of setting the tone for the game,” Stabler told NFL Films that Atkinson was part of the Pittsburgh defense after Atkinson’s second hit. “criminal element” Atkinson sued Noll for defamation but lost the suit. Atkinson filed a lawsuit against Noll, but lost. Atkinson’s twin sons George III & Josh played both football at Notre Dame. George Atkinson III also had a short NFL career which included a stint in the Raiders. Josh died in 2018 by suicide and George III in 2019.
2025-10-28 09:16:30
NFL mourn death of Oakland Raiders legend George Atkinson
