415:- Atkinson contends that it was a dead ball because of the "double touch" rule (i.e., a Steelers player came into contact with the football while the pass was in the air), that the football also touched the ground before being scooped up by Steelers' Franco Harris and thus the play should have been ruled as an incomplete pass, and because Raiders' linebacker, Phil Villapiano, was illegally blocked ("clipped") during Harris's resulting game clinching touchdown run; 2) Atkinson stated that the
411:. Since 2008, Atkinson has been a major spokesperson for "The Clothing Broker", a warehouse-style clothing store in Oakland, California. He also appears regularly on NFL Network "Top 10" shows that involve the Raiders, providing insight and his perspective on the many "controversial" calls made against the Oakland Raiders. Some examples are: 1) Perhaps the most controversial call - the
360:
touchdowns (all AFL highs) while returning 32 kicks for 802 yards. On defense, he picked four passes off for 66 yards and a touchdown. He would do returns on and off for the next seven years to go with his defense, although never as much as before; he returned 112 punts and 44 kicks combined in the years after 1968 for one total touchdown and 2,323 yards.
363:
He made the Pro Bowl that year along with the following season. In that one, he had two interceptions along with one for a touchdown. He would average around three interceptions in every season he played, having as many as 4 (1971, 1972, 1974–1975) and as little as 2 (1969, 1977). In 1974 he had 3
359:
on
September 15, he scored the first touchdown of the game on a punt return for 86 yards. He returned five total punts during the game for 205 yards, an NFL Record at the time. (along with one kick for 25 yards) in the win. On offense for the season, he returned 36 punts for 490 yards and two
419:
had never been used until it was used against the
Raiders in the 2001 AFC divisional playoff game (it actually came into play during an earlier game, also involving the Patriots, that same 2001 season) and never used again (the Tuck Rule was abolished on March 20, 2013).
450:
Atkinson's former significant other, Michelle Martin, the mother of George III and Josh, had severe mental illness as well and was institutionalized during the twins' childhood. She died
October 24, 2018, shortly before Josh died, from complications of
1411:
762:
391:
referred to
Atkinson as part of the "criminal element" in football. Atkinson subsequently filed a $ 2 million defamation lawsuit against Noll and the Steelers, which Atkinson lost.
1611:
1404:
553:
755:
521:
1397:
1581:
634:
1601:
748:
384:
693:
1576:
469:
443:
Both George III and Josh died prematurely; Josh died by suicide on
December 25, 2018, and George III died of unannounced causes (following a
379:
in the back of the head with a forearm smash, even though the ball had not been thrown to Swann. The hit rendered Swann unconscious with a
1420:
205:
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464:
188:
887:
101:
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1123:
142:
1591:
1571:
1211:
316:
38:
1504:
1219:
609:
433:
1517:
1606:
980:
718:
1596:
1075:
813:
1131:
1461:
1235:
416:
661:
805:
177:
880:
1389:
595:
364:
interceptions against
Cleveland, a Raiders record at the time. He ranks fifth on the Raiders all-time
113:
581:
328:
324:
355:
Atkinson started his career in 1968 with the
Raiders as a cornerback / kick returner. Facing the
740:
662:"They Started Playing Football as Young as 6. They Died in Their Teens and Twenties With C.T.E."
492:
447:
shortly after Josh's death) on
December 2, 2019. George's death was later also ruled a suicide.
296:
1566:
873:
660:
Bracken, Kassie; Branch, John; Laffin, Ben; Lieberman, Rebecca; Ward, Joe (November 17, 2023).
610:"George Atkinson III Opened Up About 'Pain' He Felt Over Brother's Suicide Just Before Death"
1561:
412:
340:
865:
8:
429:
372:
776:
558:
452:
344:
582:"Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills - September 15th, 1968 | Pro-Football-Reference.com"
771:
668:
320:
313:
192:
69:
42:
1453:
988:
400:
336:
596:"Las Vegas/LA/Oakland Raiders Career Defense Leaders | Pro-Football-Reference.com"
1275:
1251:
1115:
1091:
1027:
896:
790:
444:
387:, which also gave Swann a concussion. After the second incident, Steelers' coach
332:
156:
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138:
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1147:
1011:
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152:
123:
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1227:
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1171:
1083:
1067:
1051:
901:
672:
356:
181:
1437:
1363:
1107:
1035:
972:
437:
383:. Atkinson had also hit Swann in a similar manner in the previous season's
365:
343:
and was drafted by the
Raiders in the seventh round (190th overall) of the
228:
1538:
1508:
1445:
1317:
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1003:
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836:
795:
1477:
1469:
1419:
1349:
1267:
1243:
1155:
1139:
1059:
1043:
948:
932:
823:
522:"George Atkinson III, former Raider and son of team legend, dead at 27"
404:
388:
380:
376:
1534:
1377:
1342:
1335:
1259:
800:
259:
956:
694:"Column: A terrible new national epidemic — 'post-football death'"
924:
770:
635:"Ex-Oakland Raiders running back George Atkinson III dies at 27"
247:
659:
895:
403:, doing the pre-game and post-game shows. He also hosts a
312:(born January 4, 1947) is an American former professional
375:, the Raiders' arch-rival, Atkinson hit an unsuspecting
1612:
Players of
American football from Savannah, Georgia
515:
513:
1553:
510:
1405:
881:
756:
470:List of family relations in American football
1421:American Football League Rookie of the Year
126: / round: 7 / pick: 190
1412:
1398:
888:
874:
763:
749:
1582:American Football League All-Star players
723:Cherokee Memorial Park & Funeral Home
548:
546:
544:
542:
371:In a regular-season game in 1976 vs. the
1602:Morris Brown Wolverines football players
519:
465:List of American Football League players
1554:
539:
436:. George III went on to become an NFL
432:and Josh, played college football for
399:Atkinson currently works as a Raiders
394:
1393:
869:
744:
487:
485:
1577:American football return specialists
16:American football player (born 1947)
554:"An Old Raider's Old-School Values"
520:Peterson, Gary (December 3, 2019).
206:AFL co-Defensive Rookie of the Year
13:
482:
14:
1623:
350:
80:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
1587:American Football League players
423:
711:
686:
653:
627:
602:
588:
574:
170:Career highlights and awards
1:
475:
335:from 1968 to 1977. He played
7:
458:
10:
1628:
1592:American sports announcers
1572:American football safeties
1495:
1428:
1327:
1309:
910:
786:
303:
293:
289:
277:
269:
257:
246:
238:
227:
223:
219:Career AFL/NFL statistics
218:
214:
174:
169:
165:
135:
130:
119:
109:
97:
92:
84:
76:
53:
48:
34:
29:
639:Las Vegas Review-Journal
329:National Football League
325:American Football League
310:George Henry Atkinson II
88:180 lb (82 kg)
21:American football player
1607:Oakland Raiders players
903:Super Bowl XI champions
493:"George Atkinson Stats"
1597:Denver Broncos players
497:Pro Football Reference
428:Atkinson's twin sons,
698:The Columbus Dispatch
385:AFC Championship game
413:Immaculate Reception
49:Personal information
1496:Offensive/Defensive
837:Ralph (Chip) Oliver
395:Broadcasting career
373:Pittsburgh Steelers
239:Interception yards:
178:Super Bowl champion
105:(Savannah, Georgia)
26:
1537:(Offensive) &
1520:(Offensive) &
1507:(Defensive) &
778:1968 NFL/AFL Draft
725:. October 24, 2018
665:The New York Times
641:. December 3, 2019
562:. December 7, 2009
559:The New York Times
345:1968 NFL/AFL draft
323:who played in the
278:Return touchdowns:
93:Career information
24:
1549:
1548:
1387:
1386:
863:
862:
719:"Michelle Martin"
409:Behind the Shield
321:return specialist
307:
306:
285:
284:
70:Savannah, Georgia
43:Return specialist
1619:
1542:
1529:
1512:
1488:
1480:
1472:
1464:
1456:
1454:Curtis McClinton
1448:
1440:
1414:
1407:
1400:
1391:
1390:
1380:
1373:
1366:
1359:
1352:
1345:
1338:
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1302:
1294:
1286:
1278:
1270:
1262:
1254:
1246:
1238:
1230:
1222:
1214:
1206:
1198:
1190:
1182:
1174:
1166:
1158:
1150:
1142:
1134:
1126:
1124:Charlie Phillips
1118:
1110:
1102:
1094:
1086:
1078:
1070:
1062:
1054:
1046:
1038:
1030:
1022:
1014:
1006:
998:
989:Fred Biletnikoff
983:
975:
967:
959:
951:
943:
935:
927:
919:
904:
899:
890:
883:
876:
867:
866:
844:Larry Blackstone
779:
774:
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742:
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567:
550:
537:
536:
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532:
526:The Mercury News
517:
508:
507:
505:
503:
489:
337:college football
294:Player stats at
225:
224:
131:Career history
67:
63:
61:
27:
23:
1627:
1626:
1622:
1621:
1620:
1618:
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1616:
1552:
1551:
1550:
1545:
1532:
1526:George Atkinson
1515:
1502:
1491:
1483:
1475:
1467:
1459:
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1424:
1418:
1388:
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1362:
1355:
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1331:
1323:
1313:
1305:
1297:
1289:
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1276:Morris Bradshaw
1273:
1265:
1257:
1252:Charles Philyaw
1249:
1241:
1233:
1225:
1217:
1212:Steve Sylvester
1209:
1201:
1193:
1185:
1177:
1169:
1161:
1153:
1145:
1137:
1129:
1121:
1116:Warren Bankston
1113:
1105:
1100:George Atkinson
1097:
1092:Phil Villapiano
1089:
1081:
1073:
1065:
1057:
1049:
1041:
1033:
1028:Mark van Eeghen
1025:
1017:
1009:
1001:
986:
978:
970:
962:
954:
946:
938:
930:
922:
914:
906:
902:
898:Oakland Raiders
897:
894:
864:
859:
819:George Atkinson
791:Eldridge Dickey
782:
777:
773:Oakland Raiders
772:
769:
739:
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491:
490:
483:
478:
461:
453:Crohn's disease
445:suicide attempt
426:
407:program called
397:
353:
333:Oakland Raiders
139:Oakland Raiders
104:
68:
65:
64:January 4, 1947
59:
57:
41:
25:George Atkinson
22:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1625:
1615:
1614:
1609:
1604:
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1589:
1584:
1579:
1574:
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1547:
1546:
1544:
1543:
1530:
1513:
1505:George Webster
1499:
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1473:
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1449:
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1425:
1417:
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1409:
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1371:Oliver Spencer
1367:
1360:
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1339:
1328:
1325:
1324:
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1321:
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1307:
1306:
1304:
1303:
1295:
1287:
1279:
1271:
1263:
1255:
1247:
1239:
1231:
1223:
1220:Henry Lawrence
1215:
1207:
1204:George Buehler
1199:
1191:
1183:
1175:
1167:
1159:
1151:
1148:Rodrigo Barnes
1143:
1135:
1127:
1119:
1111:
1103:
1095:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1063:
1055:
1047:
1039:
1031:
1023:
1015:
1012:Clarence Davis
1007:
999:
984:
976:
968:
960:
952:
944:
936:
928:
920:
917:Fred Steinfort
911:
908:
907:
893:
892:
885:
878:
870:
861:
860:
858:
857:
854:
853:David Morrison
851:
848:
845:
842:
839:
834:
832:Marvin Hubbard
829:
826:
821:
816:
811:
808:
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538:
509:
480:
479:
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474:
473:
472:
467:
460:
457:
425:
422:
396:
393:
368:list with 30.
352:
351:Playing career
349:
331:(NFL) for the
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153:Denver Broncos
150:
133:
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117:
116:
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107:
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102:Sol C. Johnson
99:
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1568:
1567:Living people
1565:
1563:
1560:
1559:
1557:
1540:
1536:
1531:
1527:
1523:
1522:Dick Anderson
1519:
1518:Paul Robinson
1514:
1510:
1506:
1501:
1500:
1498:
1494:
1487:
1486:Bobby Burnett
1482:
1479:
1474:
1471:
1466:
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1458:
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1403:
1401:
1396:
1395:
1392:
1379:
1375:
1372:
1368:
1365:
1361:
1358:
1357:Joe Scannella
1354:
1351:
1347:
1344:
1340:
1337:
1334:
1330:
1329:
1326:
1319:
1316:
1312:
1311:
1308:
1301:
1296:
1293:
1288:
1285:
1284:Ted Hendricks
1280:
1277:
1272:
1269:
1264:
1261:
1256:
1253:
1248:
1245:
1240:
1237:
1232:
1229:
1228:John Matuszak
1224:
1221:
1216:
1213:
1208:
1205:
1200:
1197:
1192:
1189:
1184:
1181:
1180:Otis Sistrunk
1176:
1173:
1172:Monte Johnson
1168:
1165:
1160:
1157:
1152:
1149:
1144:
1141:
1136:
1133:
1128:
1125:
1120:
1117:
1112:
1109:
1104:
1101:
1096:
1093:
1088:
1085:
1084:Pete Banaszak
1080:
1077:
1072:
1069:
1068:Manfred Moore
1064:
1061:
1056:
1053:
1052:Rick Jennings
1048:
1045:
1040:
1037:
1032:
1029:
1024:
1021:
1016:
1013:
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840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
809:
807:
806:Charlie Smith
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
785:
780:
775:
766:
761:
759:
754:
752:
747:
746:
743:
729:September 21,
724:
720:
714:
699:
695:
689:
674:
670:
666:
663:
656:
645:September 21,
640:
636:
630:
619:September 21,
615:
611:
605:
597:
591:
583:
577:
566:September 23,
561:
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486:
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448:
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441:
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424:Personal life
421:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
392:
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386:
382:
378:
374:
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367:
361:
358:
357:Buffalo Bills
348:
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270:Return yards:
268:
264:
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256:
252:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
230:
229:Interceptions
226:
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71:
66:(age 77)
56:
52:
47:
44:
40:
37:
33:
28:
19:
1525:
1438:Abner Haynes
1364:Don Shinnick
1332:
1314:
1108:Marv Hubbard
1099:
1036:Carl Garrett
993:
981:Willie Brown
973:Cliff Branch
850:Mike Leinert
841:Larry Plantz
818:
810:John Naponic
727:. Retrieved
722:
713:
703:November 22,
701:. Retrieved
697:
688:
678:November 22,
676:. Retrieved
664:
655:
643:. Retrieved
638:
629:
617:. Retrieved
613:
604:
590:
576:
564:. Retrieved
557:
529:. Retrieved
525:
500:. Retrieved
496:
449:
442:
438:running back
427:
408:
398:
370:
366:interception
362:
354:
341:Morris Brown
309:
308:
295:
202:(1968, 1969)
200:AFL All-Star
187:Second-team
114:Morris Brown
98:High school:
18:
1562:1947 births
1541:(Defensive)
1539:Bill Bergey
1528:(Defensive)
1511:(Offensive)
1509:Dickie Post
1446:Earl Faison
1318:John Madden
1315:Head coach:
1300:Ted Kwalick
1292:Dave Casper
1196:Gene Upshaw
1188:Herb McMath
1164:Rik Bonness
1076:Willie Hall
1020:Hubert Ginn
1004:Skip Thomas
965:Neal Colzie
941:Ken Stabler
856:Steve Berry
847:Ray Carlson
814:John Harper
796:Ken Stabler
531:December 4,
502:December 4,
401:broadcaster
250:recoveries:
1556:Categories
1478:Joe Namath
1470:Matt Snell
1350:Tom Flores
1268:Dan Medlin
1244:John Vella
1156:Floyd Rice
1140:Dave Dalby
1132:Mike Siani
1060:Terry Kunz
1044:Jack Tatum
949:Errol Mann
933:David Humm
828:Rick Owens
824:John Eason
781:selections
476:References
434:Notre Dame
430:George III
405:television
389:Chuck Noll
381:concussion
377:Lynn Swann
327:(AFL) and
260:touchdowns
258:Defensive
120:NFL draft:
60:1947-01-04
30:No. 43, 47
1535:Greg Cook
1462:Billy Joe
1429:Unanimous
1378:Bob Zeman
1343:Lew Erber
1336:Tom Dahms
1260:Art Shell
1236:Dave Rowe
801:Art Shell
673:0362-4331
614:Peoplemag
417:Tuck Rule
35:Position:
1333:Coaches:
957:Mike Rae
459:See also
314:football
110:College:
1423:winners
925:Ray Guy
189:All-AFL
85:Weight:
77:Height:
1533:1969:
1524:&
1516:1968:
1503:1967:
1484:1966:
1476:1965:
1468:1964:
1460:1963:
1452:1962:
1444:1961:
1436:1960:
671:
317:safety
248:Fumble
208:(1968)
72:, U.S.
39:Safety
273:3,140
54:Born:
731:2023
705:2023
680:2023
669:ISSN
647:2023
621:2023
568:2010
533:2019
504:2019
319:and
193:1969
157:1979
147:1977
143:1968
124:1968
1298:89
1290:87
1282:83
1274:81
1266:79
1258:78
1250:77
1242:75
1234:74
1226:72
1218:70
1210:66
1202:64
1194:63
1186:61
1178:60
1170:58
1162:54
1154:52
1146:51
1138:50
1130:49
1122:47
1114:46
1106:44
1098:43
1090:41
1082:40
1074:39
1066:36
1058:34
1050:33
1042:32
1034:31
1026:30
1018:29
1010:28
1002:26
994:MVP
987:25
979:24
971:21
963:20
955:15
947:14
939:12
931:11
339:at
297:PFR
242:448
198:2×
1558::
923:8
915:4
721:.
696:.
667:.
637:.
612:.
556:.
541:^
524:.
512:^
495:.
484:^
455:.
440:.
347:.
253:13
234:30
182:XI
62:)
1413:e
1406:t
1399:v
997:)
991:(
889:e
882:t
875:v
764:e
757:t
750:v
733:.
707:.
682:.
649:.
623:.
598:.
584:.
570:.
535:.
506:.
281:3
265:4
262::
231::
195:)
191:(
184:)
180:(
159:)
155:(
149:)
145:–
141:(
58:(
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