Pat Tillman was a football star with a promising career in the NFL. However, after the September 11th attacks, he decided to follow a different direction. He enlisted in the US Army and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tragically, he was killed during the latter conflict, and his death surprisingly leading to a huge controversy.
Pat Tillman’s NFL career
Pat Tillman was born on November 6, 1976, in Fremont, California. From a young age, he excelled in athletics and chose to focus on football, leading his high school team to win the Central Coast Division I Football Championship. His impressive skills earned him a football scholarship from Arizona State University (ASU).
At ASU, Tillman played a main role in leading the Sun Devils to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl appearance. Within just three years, he was named both ASU’s MVP and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. This success propelled him to the 226th pick in the 1998 National Football League (NFL) Draft, where he was selected by the Arizona Cardinals.
In his brief stint with the Cardinals, Tillman achieved a number of accomplishments. He started 10 of the 16 games in his rookie season and, over just 60 games, recorded 340 tackles, 15 pass deflections, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles.
Despite his promising NFL career, Tillman’s perspective shifted after the September 11th attacks. Rather than renewing his contract with the Cardinals in May 2002, he and his brother, Kevin, enlisted in the US Army, committed to serving and protecting their country.
Becoming a US Army Ranger
After completing basic training, Pat and Kevin Tillman took on the Ranger Assessment & Selection Program. Both passed and were assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington. While Tillman had hoped to join the fight in Afghanistan, he and his brother were deployed to Iraq. According to those close to him, he didn’t agree with America’s presence in the country, with some alleging he called the conflict “illegal.”
Upon returning to the US, the Tillman brothers enrolled in the Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia. A few months after their graduation, they were deployed to Afghanistan and stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Salerno.
Pat Tillman loses his life in Afghanistan
On that day, Tillman and his unit, A Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, were crossing a remote canyon near a small village with the mission of locating Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. According to the Army, the unit was divided into two groups because of a vehicle breakdown, leading to an ambush. Tillman was killed by gunfire, along with an Afghan Militia Force soldier, while two others were injured.
This was the official account released by the Army. To support this version of events, Tillman was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart, and was posthumously promoted to corporal. The citation for the Silver Star states:
“Caught between the crossfire of an enemy near ambush, Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire as he maneuvered his fire team to a covered position where they could effectively employ their weapons on known enemy positions. His audacious leadership and courageous example under fire inspired his men to fight at great risk to their own personal safety.”
Investigations force US Army officials to reveal the truth
As aforementioned, the version of events presented by the US Army wasn’t what resulted in Pat Tillman’s death. In actuality, he was killed by friendly fire, a fact the service knew within 24 hours of the incident, thanks to an investigation by an officer in his battalion. However, it took five weeks for officials to openly state that the Ranger had been the victim of gunfire from his comrades.
According to a study of the autopsy report, conducted over two years after Tillman’s death, it was likely he’d been shot three times in the head with an M249 light machine gun, which uses the same caliber rounds as the M16 rifle and M4 carbine.
Investigations were conducted by the Department of Defense, Brig. Gen. Gary M. Jones and the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division (CID) into Tillman’s death. On top of this, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform had members of his company testify as to what they witnessed. The last person to see him alive, Spc. Bryan O’Neal subsequently revealed he was advised by his superiors to not speak about what had actually happened, especially with Tillman’s family.
None of the investigations found sufficient evidence to prove that Tillman’s death was the result enemy gunfire. Everything pointed toward an act committed by an American serviceman.
What did the investigations reveal about Pat Tillman’s death?
It’s one thing to know that the subsequent investigations found Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire and another to know what they found. The one by Brig. Gen. Gary M. Jones caused the most uproar, as it was among the first to share what occurred on April 22, 2004.
Along with being shot three times in the head, Jones’ investigation uncovered that the bullets had come from just 10 yards away, meaning the individual who’d pulled the trigger was standing relatively close to Tillman. Jones also found that Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who’d approved the fallen Ranger’s Silver Star, had sent out a memo warning Army officials that his death may have been the result of friendly fire.
Among the most damning evidence uncovered by Jones was that Tillman’s comrades took his body armor, uniform and notebook and set them ablaze in an attempt to hide what had happened. Those involved were later punished for their actions.
While the Pentagon agreed that Tillman had ultimately fell victim to friendly fire, officials continued to state the incident occurred under a flurry of enemy gunfire. They claimed that, despite attempts by Tillman and his fellow Rangers to identify themselves as friendlies to their comrades, they were mistaken for militants and shot at.
However, documents released through a Freedom of Information Act request by the Associated Press showed that no evidence of enemy fire was found at the scene, nor did any of Tillman’s comrades show signs of having engaged in a firefight. They also revealed that Army doctors had told investigators that his death should be considered a murder, as the “medical evidence did not match-up with the scenario as described.”
Reaction to the alleged US Army coverup
Understandably, Pat Tillman’s parents were outraged when they discovered the truth about their son’s death. They learned he’d been killed by friendly fire weeks after a public memorial was held, where Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) delivered the eulogy.
Upon learning the truth, they quickly criticized the US Army, collectively stating the service had lied to use their son as a poster boy and to maintain public support for the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. They later expanded on their positions. Patrick accused the Army of “purposely” interfering to avoid a decrease in recruitment numbers, while Mary claimed the service wanted to “cover their image.”
Pat Tillman’s legacy
Immediately following Pat Tillman’s death, the Arizona Cardinals retired the number 40, which he’d worn during his time with the team. The Sun Devils at Arizona State University also retired his number 42. Both have also created permanent memorials to Tillman. The plaza surrounding the stadium where the Cardinals play was renamed the Pat Tillman Plaza, while parts of ASU have been renamed for him.
Tillman’s family and friends have since established the Pat Tillman Foundation, which aims to promote positive change in the world and holds an annual fundraiser in the fallen Ranger’s name. On top of this, he was also posthumously inducted into the College Football and Arizona Sports Halls of Fame.
The NFL has also done its part to honor Tillman’s legacy. In 2004, the league donated $250,000 to the USO to establish the Pat Tillman USO Center at Bagram Airfield. The center, unveiled in April 2005, was the first of its kind to be erected in Afghanistan.
More from us: NFL Players Who Lost Their Lives Serving in the US Military
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However, not everyone has been happy with how the NFL has covered Tillman’s passing. Following Super Bowl LVII in February 2023, many took to social media to criticize the league for its tribute to him during the game. According to many, important parts of the story were left out of the coverage.