Raiders Legend and “Soul Patrol” Anchor George Atkinson Dies at 78
George Atkinson, the fearsome safety and anchor of the Oakland Raiders’ legendary “Soul Patrol” secondary, has died at the age of 78. The Raiders organization announced the news on Monday, confirming his family informed the team that he passed away in Georgia.
A seventh-round draft pick who became a Super Bowl champion, Atkinson was renowned for his physical, intimidating style of play that helped define the Raiders’ identity in the 1970s. Beyond his playing career, he remained a beloved fixture in the Raiders community as a broadcaster and mentor.
A Stellar, Hard-Hitting Career
George Atkinson joined the Raiders as the 190th overall pick in the 1968 draft, a selection that proved to be a tremendous steal. From his very first game, he made an impact, scoring an 86-yard punt return touchdown against the Buffalo Bills and setting a then-NFL record with 205 punt return yards in a single game.
He quickly established himself as a versatile threat, making the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons as both a defensive back and return specialist. Over his eleven-year career, which included ten seasons with the Raiders and a final year with the Denver Broncos, George Atkinson tallied 30 regular-season interceptions, placing him fifth on the Raiders’ all-time list.
His most significant contribution, however, was as the anchor of the famed “Soul Patrol” secondary. Alongside hard-hitting safety Jack “The Assassin” Tatum and cornerbacks Willie Brown and Skip “Dr. Death” Thomas, George Atkinson formed one of the most feared defensive backfields in NFL history. Their aggressive style was so dominant that it influenced a rule change, with the NFL instituting the five-yard chuck rule in 1979 partly in response to their physicality.
The pinnacle of his career came in the 1976 season when he helped lead the Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory, a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.
Controversy and a “Criminal Element”
George Atkinson’s aggressive play sometimes crossed the line into controversy. His most infamous incidents involved Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame receiver Lynn Swann. In a 1976 regular-season game, Atkinson delivered a forearm to the back of an unsuspecting Swann’s head, rendering him unconscious with a concussion. He had delivered a similar hit on Swann in the previous season’s AFC Championship Game.
The second incident prompted Steelers coach Chuck Noll to publicly label George Atkinson as part of the “criminal element” in football. Atkinson responded by filing a $2 million defamation lawsuit against Noll and the Steelers, a case he ultimately lost.
He never apologized for his approach to the game. “Football is a collision sport. If you don’t have a certain mentality you will get run out of the game,” George Atkinson told the San Jose Mercury News in a 2016 interview. He famously warned opposing players, “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”.
A Life Marked by Profound Tragedy
While George Atkinson was a fearsome competitor on the field, his later years were filled with immense personal loss. He experienced the unthinkable when both of his twin sons, George III and Josh, died just eleven months apart.
Josh died by suicide on Christmas Day in 2018 at the age of 26. His brother, George Atkinson III, who followed in his father’s footsteps to play for the Raiders, died by suicide in November 2019 at the age of 27. In an open letter before his death, George III detailed his struggle with depression and the profound impact of losing his brother.
In a tragic connection, the Concussion Legacy Foundation later announced that both twins had been posthumously diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), the first twin brothers ever to be diagnosed with the disease. Their mother, Michelle Martin, had also struggled with severe mental illness and passed away in 2018.
George Atkinson himself had disclosed in 2016 that he was suffering from symptoms consistent with CTE.
A Lasting Legacy
The Raiders organization released a heartfelt statement mourning his passing, emphasizing his enduring connection to the team long after his playing days ended.
“The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of George Atkinson, a life-long Raider whose physical style of play helped define an era of football,” the team said. “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”.
After retiring, George Atkinson remained a prominent voice for the Raiders, working as a broadcaster on the team’s pre-game and post-game shows and hosting a television program called “Behind the Shield”. His deep, personal connection to the Silver and Black never faded.
The legacy of George Atkinson is complex—a player whose fierce hitting shaped an era of football and whose life was marked by both professional triumph and profound personal tragedy. He will be remembered as a champion, an intimidator, a loyal Raider, and a father who endured the heartbreaking loss of his sons.