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Pettis Norman, a former Cowboys tight end and civil rights activist, passed away at the age of 86. He helped Dallas to their first Super Bowl appearance in January of 1971.
Pettis Norman, a former Cowboys tight end and civil rights activist, has died at the age of 86. The Cowboys announced his death in a statement on Monday night.
Norman was originally drafted by the Dallas Texans in the 1962 AFL Draft but chose to sign with the Cowboys, where he’d play nearly a decade from 1962-1970. In his final season, Norman helped lead the franchise to their first Super Bowl appearance in January of 1971. In nine years with the Cowboys and three with the San Diego Chargers, Norman started 122 games, finishing with career totals of 183 receptions, 2,492 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
During his playing career, Norman was also extremely active in fighting for civil rights and equality. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News in 2021, Norman said he addressed the issue of segregation with his superiors, which “percolated beneath the surface of the Dallas Cowboys franchise”
