Pat Tillman was a rising NFL star with a bright future in professional football. Yet, after the events of 9/11, he decided to take his life in a different direction. He enlisted in the US Army, serving tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tragically, he was killed in Afghanistan, leading to a huge and unexpected controversy.
Pat Tillman’s NFL career
Pat Tillman was born on November 6, 1976, in Fremont, California. From an early age, he excelled in athletics and chose to dedicate himself to football, leading his high school team to victory in the Central Coast Division I Football Championship. His exceptional talent earned him a football scholarship to Arizona State University (ASU).
At ASU, Tillman played a key role in leading the Sun Devils to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl appearance. Within three years, he was honored as both ASU’s MVP and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. This success led to him being selected as the 226th pick in the 1998 National Football League (NFL) Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
During his time 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, amassed 340 tackles, 15 pass deflections, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles.
Despite a promising NFL career, Tillman’s outlook changed following the September 11th attacks. Instead of renewing his contract with the Cardinals in May 2002, he and his brother, Kevin, chose to enlist in the US Army, determined to serve and protect their country.
Becoming a US Army Ranger
After finishing basic training, Pat and Kevin Tillman joined the Ranger Assessment & Selection Program. Both successfully completed the program and were assigned to the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington. Although Tillman had initially hoped for a deployment to Afghanistan, he and his brother were instead sent to Iraq.
Friends and family observed that Tillman opposed America’s involvement in Iraq, with some recalling that he described the war as “illegal.”
Upon their return to the United States, the Tillman brothers attended Ranger School at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore), Georgia. A few months after graduating, they were deployed to Afghanistan and stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Salerno.
Pat Tillman loses his life in Afghanistan
The circumstances surrounding Pat Tillman’s death on April 22, 2004, remain unclear. Initially, the US Army reported that he was killed during a firefight with enemy combatants. But later investigations uncovered that he had, in fact, died due to friendly fire.
On that day, Tillman and his unit, A Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, were traversing a secluded canyon near a small village with the objective of locating Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. According to the Army, the unit was split into two groups because of a vehicle malfunction, which led to an ambush. Tillman was killed by gunfire, alongside an Afghan Militia Force soldier, while two others sustained injuries.
This was the official narrative provided by the Army. To corroborate this account, Tillman was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart, and he was posthumously promoted to corporal. The citation for the Silver Star reads:
“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 previously mentioned, the account provided by the US Army did not accurately explain the circumstances of Pat Tillman’s death. In reality, he was killed by friendly fire, a fact known to the service within 24 hours due to an investigation conducted by an officer in his battalion. However, it took five weeks before officials publicly acknowledged that the Ranger had been killed by gunfire from his fellow soldiers.
A study of the autopsy report, conducted more than two years after Tillman’s death, suggested he was likely 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 into Tillman’s death were led by the Department of Defense, Brig. Gen. Gary M. Jones, and the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division (CID). In addition, members of his unit testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Spc. Bryan O’Neal, the last person to see him alive, later revealed that he had been instructed by his superiors not to discuss what had actually happened, particularly with Tillman’s family.
None of the investigations found enough evidence to support the theory that Tillman had been killed by enemy fire. All signs pointed to the tragic incident being caused 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
New! Want to become a trivia master? Sign up for our War History Fact of the Day newsletter!
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.