Former NFL player George Atkinson III has died at the age of 27. The cause of death was not revealed.
Atkinson's passing comes just one year after his twin brother, Josh Atkinson, died by suicide. Atkinson III reflected on his sibling's death in an article published in October, where he opened up about their childhood struggles, stating their mother suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and drug addiction and that he and his brother later went on to live with their father, Super Bowl champion George Atkinson II. After their mother died after complications from Crohn's disease. Atkinson III wrote they were both grieving but Josh became suicidal.
After his brother's passing, Atkinson III tried to harm himself and later sought help. He also credited his daughter for giving him "that second wind of motivation." It has been reported that Atkinson III had been dealing with depression since the death of his twin.
Both brothers played football at the University of Notre Dame during their athletic careers. Atkinson III also later played for the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns.
