Elijah Pitts: The Patriarch of a Football Family

The Pitts are a three-generation football family that began with legendary Packers running back Elijah Pitts. Elijah improbably made it from the segregated deep south and a tiny HBCU to the NFL where he was not only a standout player on Lombardi’s championship teams but then made a career for himself in coaching. He spent most of his coaching career with the Buffalo Bills and was a huge part of their success in the 1990’s including four Super Bowl appearances. Elijah never became a head coach himself but paved the way for African American coaches in the league. His son Ron Pitts was a cornerback for both the Packers and Bills before becoming a broadcaster. Ron’s sons Lee and Shea have carried on the tradition playing through college and currently work in football for the NFL and UCLA. The Pitts came together in June of 2025 as Elijah was honored at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.