George Atkinson II, a fearsome strong safety for the dominant John Madden-coached Oakland Raiders teams of the 1970s, has died . He was 78.

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"The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of George Atkinson, a life-long Raider whose physical style of play helped define an era of football," the Raiders said in a statement. "George's contributions as a friend and mentor to everyone in the Raiders organization continued long after his playing career, and his genuine personality and wonderful sense of humor will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him. The prayers of the Raider Nation are with Denise, Brittany, Maya, Angela, Craig, and the entire Atkinson family at this time."

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