Pete Elliott, the longest tenured Executive Director in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's, has died at the age of 86.
Elliott served as the museum's director from 1979 to 1996 and continued as a member of the Hall of Fame's Board of Trustees in his retirement.
Elliott also was head football coach at Illinois from 1960-66.
''Pete was beloved by the entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family, including the staff, board of trustees and the Hall of Fame members,'' President and Executive Director Steve Perry said, according to the Associated Press. ''He was a kind and thoughtful person and an inspiration to us all.''
The former All-American quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines was one of the greats, not only as a player in college, but as a coach as well.
Elliott coached at Nebraska, California, Illinois and Miami during his career and was the man in charge at Illinois the last time the Fighting Illini won a Rose Bowl game back in 1963.
"Those who met Pete and knew him, they could never say a bad word about him," said Dick Kempthorn, Elliott's Michigan teammate on the 1947-48 team, according to the Canton Rep. "He was not only a great football player, he was a great athlete and a great gentleman.
"And he was a humble man, to this day," Kempthorn added.
