Amherst's Ryan Pitts is shown in a clip from Amazon Prime's Thursday Night Football pregame show with Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The show will air prior to kickoff of Thursday night's Patriots-Jets game at Gillette Stadium. (Amherst Junior Sabers Facebook photo)

The Amherst Junior Sabers senior youth football team had a special coach this past season, and you’re about to see just how special on Amazon Prime tonight just prior to the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game at Gillette Stadium.

Pitts is one of 61 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor.. Along with that, the now-civilian Pitts is an active member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The Society does a lot of philanthropic work, it’s Character Development program provides training and resources to teachers at no cost to them; they also recognize and encourage service at home.

So when Amazon Prime wanted to feature Pitts for its Thursday Night Football Pregame Show/Salute To Service prior to tonight’s Patriots-Jets game, how could he say no? He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor as he continued fighting to save members of his team while severely wounded in an ambush during the War in Afghanistan in 2008.

“The Patriots organization does a lot to support service members and families and things like that,” Pitts said, “and to represent our society and foundation and help share the word about the work we’re doing, our Character Development Program, the Citizens Honors, and how we’re trying to take the lessons we learn in the (armed) service and pay it forward.”

But it’s perfect for Pitts, because he spent Sundays and a few nights during the week on the football field helping to coach his 12-year-old son Lucas’ youth football team, the Amherst Junior Sabers (ironically rebranded from the name Patriots) senior team. That is part of his message.

“I’m not a football expert,” Pitts said, “but being around the kids it’s so much more than just the sport. There’s team activities, you learn to put in effort on things you want to get better at, you learn to make sacrifices, sometimes it’s not about you it’s what the team needs.

“Those things, any opportunity I have in the local community …”

He’s done work with Nashua PAL, and spoke one day this week at his alma mater, Souhegan High School, about the meaning of Veterans Day. “Just trying to continue to share those values and let people know that we’re not as divided as it seems out there.”

He certainly enjoyed seeing that his son’s football team wasn’t divided, as teamwork was the main theme.

“I loved it,” Pitts said of the youth football experience. He has also coached in the NFL’s Play 60 Flag Football program with his son and his friends over the years. “This was my first year with tackle football and it was a blast. I loved working with the kids, watching them grow and develop, they’re 12 and 13 and learning what it means to become good teammates.

“It’s how to give that constructive feedback without breaking down camaraderie and culture. It was fun to see them all emerge as their own little individual leaders, taking on leadership roles within the team. And as my overwhelming service experiences, I got so much more out of it as I gave.

“It was honestly the most rewarding thing I’ve done since I wore the uniform.”

His next coaching foray will be helping out with the Amherst Middle School wrestling team in another couple of weeks.

Ironically, Pitts played freshman football at Souhegan, “and I was awful. Other than that I played ‘left out’ in intramural sports. My athleticism didn’t come until I was in the Army when I needed it.”

When Pitts was on the Saber freshman team, current head coach Robin Bowkett was the varsity quarterback. Pitts this fall enjoyed the interaction with the Souhegan varsity, as they had a recognition night for the Junior Sabers program, players running out on the field, etc. The Sabers also participated in Jamborees to help kids get acclimated to football. “That component is there even with these team sports,” Pitts said. “You see it across all the team sports, too; it’s not just football.”

It’s all a stark contrast to what took place in Afghanistan on July 13, 2008, when the Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler near the village of Wanat came under attack. Pitts had sustained wounds to his arms and legs yet still fought on, keeping those around him who were also fallen from being captured.

“I don’t think it will ever be something I put behind me,” Pitts said. “I don’t know if I think about it every day, but I think about it a lot, still. I think about the guys I served with, the incredible things I saw others do that day. The guys who didn’t come home, and the amazing gift that they gave me.

“Everything I was able to do, they bought me time and space with their blood and their lives. … I hope that never goes away. I want to remember every day I have is the gift they gave to me.”

Pitts returned to the U.S.to be treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Treatment lasted a month but then there was a year of rehab and going through the medical discharge process. Eventually he returned to Amherst and went to the University of New Hampshire’s Manchester campus and earned a four-year business degree.

Youths sometimes ask him about his medal as well as his military experience, and he gives age-appropriate answers.

“It’s the same themes, though, right?” he said. “It ties back to the same values of courage, sacrifice, integrity, citizenship, patriotism, these things apply everywhere. So I do draw parallels. It’s a captivating story for young kids; just trying to share the lessons learned that I might be the guy with the award, but this was earned by everybody that was there that day.”

Sports teams, pros and otherwise, do a lot to honor veterans; the Patriots do usually every game and even the Nashua Silver Knights have a Salute to Service for their Saturday night home games.

“I think it’s great, right,” he said. “And it’s more than just the recognition for veterans, which is deserving. … But most importantly, it’s appreciation to tell people that service is important. We all owe something to our country; it’s all incumbent upon us to find our own way to give back and leave it better than how we found it.”

Amherst’s Ryan Pitts is shown during the production of Amazon Prime’s Pregame Show/Salute To Service set for just prior to tonight’s Patriots-Jets game at Gillette Stadium. (Courtesy photo)

Pitts enjoyed watching the Junior Sabers compete despite some obstacles. “We were undersized,” he said. “I think the biggest thing was we played in a division where a lot of the kids were bigger than our kids. But our kids never quit. We were getting injuries every game, and these kids would go out there, and play all four quarters. Some of them were playing both sides of the ball in their first year of football. I keep telling them if you guys bring it that hard you’re never going to lose at anything in life.”

What did Pitts learn about coaching?

“I guess it drew a lot of parallels to me of what it was to be a team leader in the Army,” he said. “Make men the best that they can be. I learned a lot of lessons … There’s an importance of learning what each individual needs to be led, to reach their best potential – finding that with all the players, what are the dials to turn to motivate them.

“If that’s the most rewarding thing – I didn’t care about victories or losses – I cared about watching these kids grow as people. … It’s a commitment, showing up early, game prep and all that. It was all worth it.”

Pitts wants the work he does with the Medal of Honor Society to grow; it’s work was stalled thanks to COVID and his appearance on Amazon tonight and the support of the NFL should be a boost.

“Hopefully we can drive some more funding, and hopefully expand, reach more kids and create a greater interest in service.”

Pitts went down to Gillette a weeks ago on the Tuesday off-day, met Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, owner Robert Kraft, and Patriots defensive back Marcus Jones. The Amazon people were “professionals, the producer was great, they understood what was important to us as a society and greatly appreciative.”

It was especially fun to meet Vrabel, because Pitts remembers watching from overseas when Vrabel win Super Bowls as a player with the Patriots. And it was special to meet Jones, whose father is a 30-year plus Army veteran; Jones told him he moved around a lot growing up.

Pitts has done some work also with the Red Sox and Bruins. But during a week that included Veterans Day, he is helping a cause so important to him fittingly get national exposure.