Last year, former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver became just the second former Packer to be inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Willie Davis was the first. This year, a third former Packers player will be honored with induction into the prestigious organization. Elijah Pitts, a halfback on five Packers championship teams, is being inducted this year.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
Introducing the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023! 🏈
LESLIE FRAZIER
HENRY “KILLER” LAWRENCE
ALBERT LEWIS
JIM MARSALIS
TYRONE MCGRIFF
ELIJAH PITTS
JOHNNIE WALTON
COACH PETE RICHARDSONView full release: https://t.co/B2wnuuekAu pic.twitter.com/l0X5uSuGwy
— BlackCollegeFootball (@BCFHOF) December 8, 2022
Generally a kick returner, Elijah Pitts spent most of his time backing up NFL Hall of Famer Paul Hornung. However, Pitts was instrumental in the Packers’ Super Bowl I victory, scoring two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pitts was a member of all five of Vince Lombardi’s championship teams with the Packers. Following his playing career, he even returned to Green Bay as a scout for head coach Dan Devine.
Pitts was elected into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1979. Following his time as a scout for the Packers, he was a running backs coach for the Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers, and Buffalo Bills. He was the Bills’ running backs coach and assistant head coach at the time of his death from cancer in 1998.
Induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame
Candidates eligible for induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame must have played football at an historically black college or university. For decades, these schools were the only places African Americans could receiver higher education, especially in the South.
Elijah Pitts played his college football at Philander Smith College in Little Rock Arkansas. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 13th round of the 1961 NFL Draft. This was the same draft in which the Packers selected Hall of Famer Herb Adderley in the first round.
For more information on the Black College Football Hall of Fame, visit their website.
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