GREEN BAY, Wis. — Fans watch his film every year like clockwork.
“Whenever the Super Bowl comes around, you can turn on the NFL Network. They're going to show the highlights from the AFL vs. NFL, which later became SuperBowl I, championship game where he scored two touchdowns," says Ron Pitts, former Green Bay Packer and son of Packers Hall of Famer Elijah Pitts.
Packers faithful know him as a member of the greatest era.
“You’re not only a champion on the field, but a lot of these guys are champions off the field. It’s a champion personality, there’s something about that persona. And that’s real," says Ron.
But to Ron, Elijah Pitts wasn't a legend. He was dad.
“He used to always sneak food out of training camp when my mom and I would go visit, during lunch time. He’d get me an orange, or an apple or part of a sandwich. I thought that was great because I was like, ‘Oh man. I’m eating NFL training camp food'," says Ron.
And as dad, Elijah never worried about Ron following in his footsteps.
“You know, interesting enough, dad never pushed me. He never really even talked football. He would only talk football if I asked him a football question. Otherwise we’d talk about everything. He loved baseball. He loved tennis. He loved life in general," says Ron.
Ron would later become a Packer. He remembers the moment he realized his father never stopped being one.
“I think we were watching something on TV and the Packers colors came up. He said - ‘you know that green and gold were great colors.' It just dawned on me because after all this time, dad had to be in his 50s at this point, he was still part of the Packers legacy," says Ron.
Inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame this year, Elijah's legacy continues to carry from Mayfield, Arkansas, beyond the end zone of Lambeau Field.
“This, this here, would mean a lot to him just because of where he came from and the fight to get there. Now he’s around that type of company. The fight that all of those gentleman had to go through just to be honored. So that, I think, would make him the proudest," says Ron.
Accompanied by his mother, Ruth, Ron and his family will represent Elijah Pitts in Atlanta. There, some will remember an athlete, a friend, a soulmate.
“[In college] Dad would strategically practice his dance moves right in front the window where he knew my mom would be watching," says Ron.
For Ron, he will remember a forever teammate.
“For a second, I was like wow. I’m about to walk out on this field...."
A teammate called Dad.
"....dressed in green and gold. Just like dad did," says Ron.
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