A former professional American football player. He played football collegiately at Morris Brown, where he was a defensive back and a kick returner and professionally in the American Football League and National Football League for the Oakland Raiders from 1968 to 1977. He was a member of the Raiders' Super Bowl XI championship team. Atkinson set the Raiders' single-game record for punt return yardage in 1968, with 205 yards against Buffalo. He ranks fifth on the Raiders all-time interception list with 30.