Former Raiders cornerback Alonzo 'Skip' Thomas dies, 61

Published: Jul 25, 2011 at 08:20 PM

Former Oakland Raiders cornerback Alonzo "Skip" Thomas, one of the more colorful members of the club's first Super Bowl championship team, died in Kansas on Sunday of an apparent heart attack, reports the *San Jose Mercury News.*

Thomas was a seventh-round draft pick out of USC in 1972, and played six NFL seasons, all with the Raiders. He was an important contributor on the 1976 team that beat Minnesota, 32-14, in Super Bowl XI.

Thomas started in the defensive backfield along with Jack Tatum (who died in 2010), cornerback Willie Brown and strong safety George Atkinson in a defensive backfield dubbed the "Soul Patrol."

Thomas was 61.

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