George Atkinson, a longtime Raiders safety and broadcaster known for his toughness and hard hitting, has died at age 78.

Atkinson played for the Raiders from 1968 to 1977. He finished his career with the Denver Broncos in 1979.

No cause of death was announced by the team or family.

Atkinson, a seventh-round pick of the Raiders out of Morris Brown in 1968, had 30 interceptions in 138 games with the club.

Atkinson, a close friend and confidant of Raiders owner Mark Davis, was a longtime fixture with the club as a broadcaster and evaluator.

“The Raiders family is deeply saddened by the passing of George Atkinson, a lifelong Raider whose physical style of play helped define an era of football,” the club said Monday in a statement.

Atkinson played an integral part of the famed “Soul Patro

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