DALLAS – After a unanimous vote by the Dallas City Council on Wednesday, the historic Houston Street bridge will be renamed after former Cowboys player Pettis Norman.
The bridge, which has been a landmark in the city for over 100 years, connects downtown Dallas to other suburbs and districts, such as Oak Cliff.
Norman, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 86, was considered one of the biggest civil rights advocates among the Cowboys players.
Considered more of a role player on offense, Norman caught 124 passes and 14 touchdowns as a tight end during his nine years in Dallas from 1962 to 1970. Norman played three more years with the San Diego Chargers before retiring after the 1973 season.
But Norman's legacy will always be known more for his work off the field, particularly in his efforts to bring equality not only into the locker room for the Cowboys back in the 1960s, but also to the city of Dallas. After his career ended,
Norman continued his efforts to help the community, initially as a local business leader in the fields of banking, restaurants and real estate. Pettis also served in the National Guard and once was requested by US President Lyndon B. Johnson to fly to Washington, D.C. and serve as a peace leader in the riots following Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination.
Over the years, Norman has been honored both nationally and in the city of Dallas with numerous awards, including being inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Hall of Fame, Black Sports Hall of Fame, Dallas/Fort Worth Black Living Legend and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
During the City Council meeting Wednesday, among those in support of the renaming of the bridge for Norman were Steelers Hall of Fame defensive lineman "Mean" Joe Greene and longtime Cowboys radio play-by-play announcer Brad Sham.
