George Atkinson, one of the Raiders' all-time great players who later worked as a team broadcasters, has died at age 78, the team announced.

A fearsome safety and returner for the dominant John Madden-coached Oakland Raiders teams of the 1970s has died at 78.

George Atkinson, who played for the Raiders from 1968 to 1977, has died at age 78. He was a seventh-round pick of the Raiders out of Morris Brown in 1968.

COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO MOURN THE PASSING OF ONE OF ITS GREATEST ATHLETES EVER -- LONGTIME OAKLAND RAIDER STANDOUT -- GEORGE ATKINSON. ATKINSON DIED SUNDAY NIGHT -- AT HIS HOME IN SAVANNAH -- AND TODAY,