A PRE-MERGER Dallas Cowboys icon and beloved local community leader has died.<\/p>\n
Pettis Norman, who played with the team throughout the 1960s and was a member of the Super Bowl V and infamous “Ice Bowl” squads, died on Monday at the age of 86, the team announced.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n<\/div> Norman was also known as a businessman, color commentator, and civil rights activist after his football<\/span> days.<\/p>\n The Cowboys confirmed the news<\/span> of Norman’s death with a statement on social media<\/span>.<\/p>\n “We mourn the passing of former tight end and civil rights advocate Pettis Norman,” the franchise wrote.<\/p>\n “Known for his selfless leadership, commitment to community, and dedication to creating equal opportunity, we were incredibly proud and grateful to share his remarkable story recently.”<\/p>\n The Dallas Texans selected Norman in the 1962 AFL Draft, but he never played for the team.<\/p>\n He would join the Cowboys as a free agent in that same year.<\/p>\n The former NFL tight end played nine seasons with the Cowboys, including playing in Super Bowl V for the 1970 season, which the Cowboys lost to the Baltimore Colts.<\/p>\n During that span, Norman recorded 124 catches, 14 touchdowns, and 1,672 receiving yards.<\/p>\n He also played in the so-called Ice Bowl NFL Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers on New Years Eve 1967 when temperatures dropped to a brutal -13 degrees at Lambeau Field.<\/p>\n He spent his last three seasons with the San Diego Chargers, totaling 59 receptions for 820 yards and one touchdown, before his retirement in 1973.<\/p>\n Patrick Mahomes sends prayers after watching devastating incident as Kansas City Chiefs return to practice<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When he wasn’t playing football<\/span>, Norman was a civil rights activist.<\/p>\n In 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Norman was invited to Washington, D.C. to speak to schoolchildren about non-violence and King’s work.<\/p>\n Three years later, he led a march in Dallas in support of George Allen, who had been rejected for the title of Major Pro Tem due to racial bias.<\/p>\n During the 1960s, black and white players were often assigned separate hotel rooms, which caused Norman to speak out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n<\/div> “I addressed the issue of segregation, which percolated beneath the surface of the Dallas Cowboys franchise,” he said in a 2021 interview with\u00a0The Dallas Morning News.<\/p>\n “We are a team. We cannot separate by color. It sends the wrong message to us and the community.”<\/p>\n Cowboys’ iconic head coach Tom Landry listened to Norman, and the team stopped segregating room assignments.<\/p>\n After his playing days, Norman worked in real estate, apartments, restaurant franchising, and single-family housing.<\/p>\n He was one of the first minority owners of Burger King franchises and a spokesperson for Dr. Pepper.<\/p>\n Norman also served as a color commentator for the World Football League for one-plus season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n<\/div> “[Norman] passed away peacefully in his sleep<\/span> . . . surrounded by his loving wife, daughters, grandson, and great grandchildren,” Norman’s family<\/span>‘s statement read.<\/p>\n “A strong advocate for civil rights and dedicated to creating opportunities for all, Mr. Norman was a respected business<\/span> executive and civic leader, known widely for his accomplishments both on and off the field.<\/p>\n “He leaves behind a legacy of selfless leadership, advocacy on behalf of underserved people, and a deep commitment to his community.”<\/p>\n Fans sent messages following the news<\/span> of Norman’s passing.<\/p>\n “RIP Pettis Norman! You\u2019ll be remembered by cowboys nation !” one wrote.<\/p>\n “RIP legend,” another commented.<\/p>\n “We are gonna miss you,” a third added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A PRE-MERGER Dallas Cowboys icon and beloved local community leader has died. Pettis Norman, who played with the team throughout the 1960s and was a member of the Super Bowl V and infamous \u201cI\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":67061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n