Super Bowl LX: Pettus family watches son play for Patriots
HARVEST – “This was nothing more than a blessing as there’s no better word to describe it,” said Dell Pettus, as he spoke of playing for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX as his family and friends attended the game held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Cal. “It was great to have them there to see me play in the game that so many others in the NFL never get to experience.”
The 24-year old Pettus, a former Sparkman High star player who later played at Troy University and completed his second season in the NFL, was one of 13 players from Alabama high schools and colleges to play in the game. He posted two tackles including one solo tackle in the game that saw the Patriots fall to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13, but he felt a victory was still a reality until the last few minutes of the tough battle. “Yes, I thought deep into the game it was winnable as we never wavered from the idea we would win.”
Along for what for many is an experience of a lifetime were Pettus’ immediate family and two of his closest, long-time friends. His parents, Glenn and Tamara Pettus, his younger brother, Micah Pettus, and his longtime friends and former teammates as long ago as youth football, Chris Joiner and Khalil Griffin, made their way through Gate C and sat in Section 228, which just happened to be in the end zone of what was known as Seattle’s end zone.
“We arrived around 1:30 for the 3:30 kickoff to make sure we experienced all of the pre-game festivities,” said Tamara, who is a longtime teacher and coach at Monrovia Middle School where her two girls basketball teams recently won the Madison County Championship. “We sat just in front of celebrity box seats where we saw Kevin Costner, Jamie Foxx and Jessica Alba. We had good seats that Dell arranged for us and we stayed at The Marriott, the same hotel as Dell and the rest of the team just walking distance from the stadium. We got to see him a couple times during the week and even a few hours prior to kickoff.”
Micah is just a few steps from possibly joining Dell in the National Football League as he’s expected to be among the many players selected in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft after completing his college career at Florida State as an offensive lineman. Their former teammates at Monrovia Middle School and Sparkman High were there as Joiner later played at Tennessee State while Griffin played at Alabama A&M. Dell was indeed thankful for his entourage to be there in a celebration which was for all of them.
“My most memorable moment at the game was running out of the tunnel prior to kickoff where I ran to the far end zone in front of my family and friends and said a prayer,” said Dell. “I stood there, opened my arms and smiled looking at them in a way where I was showing them what I was about to experience was for all of us and not just for me as we’ve been together a long time and worked hard together.”
Glenn, a manager for UPS, was once the coach of the four lads growing up in the Harvest area where they still reside. He sort of laid the groundwork for what Dell was doing as a professional athlete as Dell added, “His connection to players is very special as many of them as adults still call him on a regular basis.”
For Dell, it was mostly business during the days leading up to the Super Bowl. As for his family and friends, once they made their way to the Bay Area, it was time to enjoy the festive atmosphere laid out by Santa Clara and the NFL after arriving on Thursday. “What stands out the most to us was on Friday morning we loaded on bus that took us to the Food Pantry of Silicon Valley called the Second Hand of Harvest where we volunteered packing food boxes for those struggling to make ends meet,” said Tamara. “We toured the facilities and saw the Patriots team owners, the Kraft family, present the facility a $5,000 check. The experience made us aware of the unhoused. We found out many of them work two or three jobs, but still can’t make ends meet struggling with the fact do they pay for food or housing. The Patriots created a family-friend atmosphere and someone from their staff was always there to assist.”
Dell did get to enjoy his entourage at the team’s practice facility located at nearby Stanford University as a planned visit was made and photos were taken and the show of love along with laughter were plentiful. The Patriots even threw a postgame party at the nearby convention center where Dell and his gathering met again for a time each will never forget.
“The first thing my family said to me was I did a good job and they loved me. That was the best part,” said Dell. “We didn’t talk much about the game as my family doesn’t dwell on losses. We spoke of my great journey and their presence helped me put everything in reality.”
Tamara added, “I saw him, hugged him and told him how proud we were of him and told him some players spend their entire careers and never make it to the Super Bowl. He realizes what the opportunity was for him. We did talk a little football, but the not the outcome, but we were still excited.”
Dell currently lives in the Boston area near the Patriots’ home facilities and plans on visiting “home” for a couple months this spring and another few weeks during the summer where he’s hoping to host a football camp for the youth of his hometown. Prior to the Super Bowl, Dell heard from several of his former coaches, mostly from Troy, but he did receive a call from current Sparkman head coach and former coach of Dell’s at Sparkman, Ronnie Watson. “I feel I have a good relationship with all of them,” said Dell. “It was great to hear from them.”
The Pettus family, minus Micah, who is currently training for Pro Days in Texas in preps of the NFL Draft, and friends made their way back to Harvest all arriving with deep pride of Dell’s accomplishments and knowing those achievements were for all of them. They each know it was an important game, but in many ways just one game in a long journey. Memories will last a lifetime, but it was soon time to get back to reality.
“I was back in the halls of Monrovia School on Wednesday,” said Tamara.
