Former Ohio State defensive back Jack Tatum died Tuesday of a heart attack. He was 61.

Tatum, known for his intimidating, hard-hitting style of play, which earned him the nickname “The Assassin,” starred in the Buckeye secondary from 1968-1970.

“We have lost one of our greatest Buckeyes,” OSU coach Jim Tressel said in a statement. “When you think of Ohio State defense, the first name that comes to mind is Jack Tatum. His loss touches every era of Ohio State players and fans.”

As a senior, Tatum earned the honor of the national Defensive Player of the Year. He was a three-year starter and a two-time All-American.

He was a first-round draft choice by the Oakland Raiders in 1971. He won a Super Bowl with the Raiders in 1976 and was named to three Pro Bowls.

Tatum’s punishing blow to New England Patriot Darryl Stingley in a 1978 preseason game severed a pair of the wide receiver’s vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed. Stingley died in 2007 from after-effects of the hit.

Tatum was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.