Tragedy has struck the family of former Oakland Raiders star defensive back George Atkinson has suffered another tragedy as one of his sons, George Atkinson III has died at the age of 27, per The Athletic’s Pete Sampson.
George Atkinson III’s twin brother, Josh, died slightly more than a year ago. George Atkinson III had been dealing with depression. since.
The Atkinson twins were members of the 2011 recruiting class at Notre dame. Atkinson III rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and had 10 rushing touchdowns during his three seasons with the Fighting Irish. He also was a member of the track & field team.
George Atkinson III played 21 NFL games, mainly as a kick returner. He was an Oakland Raider, like his dad. Atkinson III played five games for the Raiders in 2014. Two years later, Atkinson III spent 16 games with the Cleveland Browns. He had one touchdown. The San Jose Mercury News wrote about the DB in 2016
Their father, George Atkinson, played 10 seasons with the Raiders before finishing his career with a short stint in Denver. George Atkinson had 30 interceptions in his NFL career. He was a two-time AFL All-Star and a member of the Super Bowl XI Raiders.
The twins had a rough upbringing as their mom was schizophrenic. George III wrote about it in a piece for theunsealed.com.
We all must make sure we don’t find the easy way out, like using alcohol or drugs to numb our pain. That will lead us nowhere. We have to face our problems head-on, whether that is talking to people, praying or listening to motivational speeches. Whatever helps you get through a tough time, that’s what you’ve got to do and that’s what I have to do too.