American Professional footballer, George Atkinson III has been reported dead, at the age of 27, just a year after his twin brother, Josh Atkinson committed suicide.
According to the report by TMZ, the son of former Super Bowl Champion, George Atkinson II and an Ex-Notre Dame RB George Atkinson III died on Monday at the age of 27, and as at the time of the report, the cause of death was yet to be established or released by his family. But the former NFL player said losing his brother, Josh, last December took a serious toll on him.
TMZ in their report, added that in a letter penned by George Atkinson III in October, he was reported to have said Josh’s death put him “on an emotional roller coaster and in a real dark place.”
George Atkinson III admitted he attempted to “harm himself” shortly after the death and had to be institutionalized but said his 2-year-old daughter was keeping him going.
“Without my daughter,” Atkinson III wrote, “I don’t know where I would be right now. She gave me that second wind of motivation.”
Atkinson III was a top recruit coming out of high school in 2011 and was a stud for Notre Dame from ’11 to ’13 — scoring 10 career TDs.
He went on to play two seasons in the NFL, one for the Raiders and one for the Browns … and scored a memorable preseason TD in 2016.
Atkinson III’s father was a star returner and defensive back for the Raiders, making two Pro Bowls and helping Oakland win Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings, TMZ added.