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Hard to believe, but there was a time George Atkinson III was the one being left in the dust.
Seems the Notre Dame freshman, who has already returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, and his twin brother were trash-talking with their father, former Oakland Raiders great George Atkinson Jr., one day in the car, bragging that they could beat their old man.
''I said, `I'll stop the car by the side of the street.' And we just happened to be by a park,'' the elder Atkinson said Wednesday. ''I said, `Let's go. I'll show you right now you can't beat me.'''
The three got out, and the elder Atkinson marked off about 35 yards. Even with their father spotting them 2 yards, George III and Josh never stood a chance.
''When I said go, they looked back real quick,'' their father said, ''and I was gone.''
That was the end of the family foot races - a good thing, because the elder Atkinson freely admits there's no way he could keep up with his sons nowadays.
Few people can.
His college career all of seven games old, George III is already making quite a name for himself at Notre Dame (4-3). His 96-yard kickoff return against Southern California on Saturday was his second of the year, matching the Irish single-season record. He's one of four players in the country who have returned two kicks for scores this year, and his 30.37-yard return average ranks sixth among players with at least 10 returns.
He's also got a rushing touchdown, despite only having two carries so far.
''He's got that open-end speed that can turn a 30, 40-yard return into a touchdown. Obviously there is no substitute for that,'' Irish coach Brian Kelly said. ''Also, he's got pretty good vision. He's been able to see blocks, the setup of blocks. You've got to have great vision as a kick returner, as well.''
Good genes don't hurt, either.
George III and Josh Atkinson's father spent 10 years with the Raiders, and was one of the grittiest defensive backs of his time. A two-time AFL All-Star, George Atkinson Jr. was a key player on the Raiders' 1977 Super Bowl team, and still ranks fifth on Oakland's all-time interception list with 30.
Though his playing days were over long before his sons were born, the elder Atkinson still works with the Raiders radio network and his sons grew up around the team.
''I remember we were at training camp and it was real windy. We were just in a T-shirt, me and my brother. (Al Davis) told his guys to get jackets for us because he saw we were cold,'' George Atkinson III said. ''He's a great man, a real wise man. He'd tell stories about how he signed my dad.''
Natural talent will only carry you so far, though, and the elder Atkinson taught his sons from an early age that, if they wanted to play in the NFL someday, they were going to have to put in the work.
''My whole thing was to impart on them what it takes to be successful - in any endeavor,'' their father said. ''My influence was no more than any father, except for my experience. The credit goes to them.''
But there's no doubt about their father's influence. Just look at their numbers: Josh Atkinson, an Irish cornerback, wears his father's old No. 43 while George III wears 34.
''You talk about a big heart-buster,'' the elder Atkinson said. ''I'm very proud of them, both of them. I'm just enjoying this ride with them.''
George III returned kicks in high school, and knew he had a better chance of getting playing time as a freshman with special teams rather than at running back. But Atkinson wanted to do more than just play. He wanted to make an impact, and he and his father talked frequently about what he needed to do to break off a long return.
''You always want to set high goals for yourself and that's what I did coming in,'' Atkinson said.
He got his first return for a score against then-No. 15 Michigan State, taking a first-quarter kickoff 89 yards. His one against USC was even more impressive. With the Irish trailing 17-0 late in the second quarter, Atkinson got the ball at the 4 and wove his way up the field, making several USC defenders miss badly.
It wasn't all him, Atkinson insisted, praising his teammates for giving him room to run.
''I don't want to throw it out there that it was like practice but it was well-blocked,'' Atkinson said. ''Everybody held up their men. That's a key. It's not just getting to the guy but holding them up, and that's what they did out there. I just had to outrun the kicker.''
Just as dear old dad once outran him and his brother.
''They've got speed,'' the elder Atkinson said with a laugh. ''Like they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that gene hit them real nice.''
