It has been a tough couple of days for the Las Vegas Raiders and the city. On Friday, Carol Davis, the widow of longtime Raiders owner Al Davis and mother of current owner Mark Davis, died at 93. Just three days later, the franchise lost another legend- former NFL player George Atkinson, at 78. Like many others, defensive end Maxx Crosby stepped up to honor the former Raiders safety, who held a special place in his heart.

Throughout his time with the Raiders, both as a player and after retirement, Atkinson played a key role in mentoring young talent. One of those players was current Raiders DE Maxx Crosby, who considered Atkinson a mentor on and off the field. So, the news of Atkinson’s passing hit him hard, leading Crosby to take to social media to pay his respects to the legend.

“Mr. BTA. George Atkinson Was An Absolute Legend In Every Sense Of The Word. Since Day 1, You Gave Me Advice & Had My Back No Matter What. Love You OG, Rest In Heaven. 🖤🏴‍☠️,” Crosby tweeted. The legacy and track record of Atkinson prove Crosby’s words.

George Atkinson kicked off his NFL career in 1968. He became a part of the Silver and Black team after graduating from Morris Brown College. Atkinson was considered a Raider through and through, earning him the nickname “Mr. BTA.” He was a part of the Raiders for 10 consecutive seasons.

In his first year, Mr. BTA earned Co-AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The two-time Pro Bowler has played a total of 144 games, out of which he was a starter for 126 of them. Atkinson was one of the key players who took the Raiders to five consecutive AFC Championship games.

In 1977, the Raiders won their first Super Bowl by defeating the Minnesota Vikings. The Raiders even admitted that the Super Bowl championship was possible thanks to the ‘Soul Patrol’ led by George Atkinson. In the game, Atkinson had a total of six tackles, helping his team lift the trophy. Throughout his career, Mr. BTA has had a total of 30 interceptions for 448 yards and 2 TDs.

Atkinson’s family refers to him as the cornerstone of the Silver and Black legacy. He was a life-long Raider, who played for the team for over a decade, before hanging up his cleats with the Denver Broncos after one season. Following that, in 2008, Atkinson worked as a broadcaster for the Raiders. He was also the host of the TV show ‘Behind the Shield.’

Now that Atkinson has left all his fans in tears, the Vegas team took to social media on Monday to announce the heartbreaking news. “The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of George Atkinson, a life-long Raider whose physical style of play helped define the era of football,” the team posted. Earlier this week, the Raiders also lost the first lady of the Raiders Nation, Mrs. Carol Davis. Hence, both losses have torn apart many hearts.

George Atkinson: A hero on and off the field

Atkinson had three sons, twins George Atkinson III and Josh Atkinson, and his third son, Josh. The twins followed their father’s footsteps as they were a part of the Notre Dame football team. Atkinson III was a running back for the New York Jets in 2018. Both the twins, unfortunately, died – one in 2018 (Josh Atkinson) and another in 2019 (George Atkinson III), after being diagnosed with CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).

Following the passing of his two children, Mr. BTA took it upon himself to advocate for NFL players about mental health and always made himself available to mentor and guide players. Former WWE Superstar and the founding CEO of Concussion LF, Chris Nowinski, paid his respect to Atkinson via Twitter. In the tweet, he also revealed that Atkinson had pledged his brain to Concussion LF back in 2016.

“Sad to hear #NFL & Raiders legend George Atkinson, known for his fierce hits, has died at 78. I was honored that he pledged his brain to @ConcussionLF at at our 1st meeting in 2016 in Oakland. Sadly, his two sons died soon after & we diagnosed both w/#CTE,” Chris Nowinski posted.

Now, after years of off-field battle, George Atkinson himself has left everyone. Rest in peace, legend!