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Pettis Norman, a former wing of the NFL who was also known for organizing civil rights marches in the sixties and seventies, has died, the Dallas Cowboys announced on Monday. He was 86 years old.
Norman played for the Cowboys from 1962 to 1970 and wrapped his career with the San Diego Chargers, competing for them from 1971 to 1973.
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The Pettis B. Norman de Dallas CEO, PNI based in Texas, was a closed star wing for cowboys in the 1960s. (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service through Getty Images)
“We regret the death of the former defender of civil rights and civil rights Pettis Norman,” the cowboys said in a statement published in X. “Known for their selfless leadership, commitment to the community and dedication to the creation of equal opportunities, we were incredibly proud and grateful to share their remarkable story recently.”
Norman attended Johnson C. Smith University before being selected in the American Football League draft by the Dallas Texans in 1962. He never played the Texans before joining the cowboys.
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He was the first player of Johnson C. Smith University to play at the NFL.
“Johnson C. Smith University honors the life of Pettis Norman ’62, the first gold bull in the NFL,” the school said in a statement about X. “A cowboy of Dallas, the Hall of Fame of Ciaa and the proud JCSU student, was more than an athlete, was a pioneer. Rest well, Legend.”
Norman’s civil rights defense stood out in a recent Cowboys profile.
He was one of the players who influenced the legendary chief coach Tom Landry to change the way the hotel rooms were distributed, which was originally by race.
The closed wing Pettis Norman of the Chargers is pushed from the limits by Cornell Green of the Dallas Cowboys at the San Diego stadium on November 5, 1972 in California. (James Flores/Getty Images)
“I tried to do what I could help change the type of things that society had operated for so long,” Norman said before.
He was also the founder of the Dallas Together forum. HBCU Gameday described it as an initiative that helped influence Dallas corporations to “improve minority hiring practices and increase contracts for women’s and minority companies.”
Norman played in 162 games in the NFL. He caught 183 passes for 2,492 yards and 15 touchdowns.
