Even the heyday of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens rivalry had nothing on the Steelers versus the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s. In a different era where that outlined few limits of what players could do before or after the whistle, the Steelers and Raiders hated each other. Raiders safety George Atkinson led the charge, a dirty player who gained an edge however he could.
In an episode of Peyton’s Place recently uploaded to his Omaha Productions YouTube page, WR Lynn Swann spoke with Manning about the rivalry and how Swann handled being cheap-shotted by Atkinson and company at every turn, especially in the 1975 AFC Championship Game.
“You can’t think about it,” Swann told Manning in the episode, which originally aired in late 2020. “The game is physical. We knew there was a grudge match and a deep dislike for the Raiders and the Steelers.”
During that game, Atkinson punched Swann in the head and knocked him out cold. DT and captain Joe Greene picked up Swann’s body and carried him to the sidelines before he was stretchered and taken to the hospital.
“You knew it’d be physical. And you knew guys would take shots. But you have to block it out. If you let it stay in your head and forefront of your mind when you’re out there playing football, you’re never going to play your game. And they’re still going to hit you.”
Instead of getting even, Swann and the Steelers got ahead on the scoreboard. Pittsburgh won the game 16-10 to advance to the Super Bowl. After spending two days hospitalized, Swann was released and cleared to play in the big game, catching four passes for 161 yards and one touchdown in the win. He was named MVP.
Atkinson would again knock Swann out the following season. Chuck Noll called it criminal, leading to lawsuits being filed by both sides. Atkinson’s suit against Noll claiming defamation went to trail but a jury ruled in favor of the Steelers. It’s a reminder the league was full of drama in those days, too.
Atkinson won a Super Bowl and had a successful career but his name is only a blip in NFL history and often known for negative reasons. Swann would go on to win four Super Bowls and be inducted into the Hall of Fame, proving that his cooler head prevailed during his career and for his legacy.
