George Atkinson (athlete)
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- This article is about the athlete. For the father of video rentals, see George Atkinson.
| George Atkinson (athlete) | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 4, 1947 (age 60) |
| Place of birth | Savannah, GA |
| Position(s) | Cornerback |
| College | Morris Brown |
| NFL Draft | 1968 / Round 7/ Pick 190 |
| Pro Bowls | 1968, 1969 |
| Honors | 1 Super Bowl ring |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1968-1977 1979 |
Oakland Raiders Denver Broncos |
George "Butch" Atkinson was an American college and professional football player. He played college football at Morris Brown College, where he was a defensive back and a kick returner. He played professionally in the American Football League and the National Football League for the Oakland Raiders from 1968 to 1977, and was a member of the Super Bowl XI championship team.
Atkinson set the Raiders' single-game record for punt return yardage in 1968, with 205 yards against Buffalo. He ranks fifth on the Raiders all-time interception list with 30.
In a regular-season game in 1976 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Raiders' arch-rival, Atkinson hit an unsuspecting Lynn Swann in the back of the head with a forearm smash, rendering Swann unconscious with a concussion. Atkinson had also hit Swann in a similar manner in the previous season's AFC Championship game, which also gave Swann a concussion. After the second incident, Steeler's coach Chuck Noll 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.
Atkinson currently works as a Raiders broadcaster, doing the pre-game and post-game shows. He also hosts a television program called Behind the Shield.
