Ron Pitts facts for kids

Ronald Dwayne Pitts (born October 14, 1962) is an American who used to play professional football. He is now a well-known sportscaster, which means he reports on sports. Ron Pitts played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers. Before becoming a professional, he played college football at UCLA.

Today, Pitts works for CBS Sports Network. He helps cover college football games by sometimes announcing the play-by-play. He also co-hosts a TV show called OK!TV, which shares news about entertainment.

Ron Pitts' Early Life and School Days

Ron Pitts was born in Sterling Heights and grew up in Detroit. His father, Elijah Pitts, was also a famous football player. Elijah was a running back for the Green Bay Packers when Vince Lombardi was their coach. Later, his dad became an assistant coach in the NFL for many years.

In the mid-1970s, Ron's family lived in southern California. They moved to the Buffalo area in 1978. Ron played football at Orchard Park High School and finished school there in 1981.

After high school, Ron went back to southern California to play college football. He played for the UCLA team. Their coach was Terry Donahue. In his last year, 1984, Ron played in a special game called the Japan Bowl. He made an amazing play by catching a pass from the other team's quarterback, Mike Tomczak. Ron ran 99 yards with the ball for a touchdown, helping his team win!

Playing Professional Football

The 1985 NFL draft is where NFL teams choose new players. Ron Pitts was picked in the seventh round of this draft. He then had a short but interesting career playing professional football. He played for the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers.

Ron got hurt during his first mini-camp, so he missed the entire 1985 season. From 1986 to 1990, Ron played in 66 games as a defensive back. He started in six of those games. During his career, he caught seven interceptions. One of his most notable interceptions was against Jerry Rice, a famous player from the San Francisco 49ers. In December 1988, Ron also returned a punt for a touchdown against the Phoenix Cardinals.

Life After Football: Broadcasting

After he stopped playing football, Ron Pitts started a new career in broadcasting. He joined Fox Sports in 1994 when it was a new sports network. At first, he worked as an analyst, explaining plays during games. He worked with different announcers like Kenny Albert and Thom Brennaman.

In 2001, Ron became the main sideline reporter. This meant he would report from the side of the field during games. He worked with famous announcers Pat Summerall and John Madden. After that, Ron went back to the announcer's booth. He called the play-by-play for games, working with many different football experts. After 19 years at Fox Sports, Ron left in 2012.

He also hosted other shows like Under the Helmet, which was a weekly show about the NFL for younger viewers. He also worked on Total Access and Hardcore Football for Fox Sports Net. Earlier in his career, Ron also worked as a college football analyst for ABC Sports. In 2014, he joined CBS Sports Network to announce some games.

Ron Pitts on TV and in Movies

Ron Pitts has also appeared in movies and TV shows! He had a small role as a sports commentator in the movie Hot Shots! Part Deux. He also played a different version of himself in an episode of the TV show Sliders called "Eggheads".

You can even hear his voice in the 1984 movie Repo Man. In one scene, a college football radio broadcast is playing in the background, and Ron Pitts is mentioned. In 1996, he played a TV Reporter in the movie The Birdcage. Ron's voice was also used as an announcer in Microsoft's NFL Fever, a football video game for the Xbox.

In 2008, Ron Pitts became the host of a new show on the Discovery Channel called Destroyed In Seconds. This show features video clips of different disasters and destructive events. These events can be natural, like storms, or caused by people.

Ron Pitts' Family Life

Ron Pitts' father, Elijah Pitts (1938–1998), was a running back for the Green Bay Packers. He was part of all five NFL championship teams that won under Coach Lombardi. This includes the first two Super Bowls. Ron Pitts is even mentioned briefly in a book called Instant Replay. This book is a diary from the 1967 season by player Jerry Kramer. It talks about how players' children, including Ron, would visit the Packers' locker room.

Ron has two sons named Lee and Shea. Both of them play college football, just like their dad did! His older son, Lee Pitts, is a defensive back at Azusa Pacific University. His younger son, Shea Pitts, is also a defensive back. He plays for his father's old college team, UCLA. Shea even wears the number 47, which was his dad's number at UCLA.

Ron also has a sister, Kimberly R. Pitts, who is a doctor in Southeast Texas. She used to be a power lifter.