Remembering Oakland Raiders safety Jack "The Assassin" Tatum

by **Tvcoliseum.com** Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:06 pm

Oakland Raiders legend Jack Tatum passed away following a heart attack on Tuesday. He was 61 years old.
Jack Tatum made an impact on the NFL during his 10-year career. In fact, he was the prototype by which all other hard-hitting safeties have been judged ever since. It was Tatum's style of play that inspired Hall of Fame defensive backs such as Ronnie Lott and Rod Woodson. However, Tatum's own chances for the Hall of Fame were dimmed by the controversies that surrounded his career.
The Oakland Raiders selected Tatum in the first round of the 1971 draft out of Ohio State. He had built his reputation as a hard hitter as a linebacker with Woody Hayes' Buckeyes. The Raiders converted him from an undersized linebacker into a safety, where he became part of their famed "Soul Patrol" defensive backfield with fellow safety George "The Hitman" Atkinson, Skip "Dr. Death" Thomas, and "Old Man" Willie Brown, which would terrorize opposing receivers for the better part of the 1970s.
My best hits always bordered on felonious assaults.
--Jack Tatum
Tatum was known for his hard hits and fierce style of play. That was where he earned the nickname "The Assassin." However, it was this this aggressive style of play would also prove to be controversial. In a 1978 preseason game he collided with New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley which resulted in a hit that paralyzed Stingley for life from the chest down. That hit hurt Tatum's standing among fans over his seeming indifference to the plight of the man he had injured. Tatum didn't apologize, saying, "It was a clean hit. It could have happened to anyone."