Super Bowl LVII will honor an NFL icon who was slain in Afghanistan while serving his nation and has been dubbed the ultimate American hero. After being chosen in the 1998 Draft, Pat Tillman played safety for the Arizona Cardinals, recording 340 tackles over the course of his career. When Tillman declined a three-year, £3 million deal and enlisted in the army in the spring of 2002, he became the most well-known player in Cardinals history.
Just eight months after the 9/11 attacks, Tillman made the shocking choice to enlist in the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. Tillman, who opted to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan rather than live the opulent lifestyle of a millionaire sportsman, was praised as the epitome of an American hero. Teams made hefty offers to entice him back to the NFL, knowing that he would now be a huge commercial draw. Tillman, however, promised to complete his three-year term of service.
He was killed by friendly fire on April 22, 2004, less than a month after being deployed to Afghanistan, in the Sperah highlands close to the Pakistani border. The Cardinals retired his No. 40 jersey after his passing. Outside of their stadium, there is a statue of Tillman as well. The Silver Star was also given to the former soldier.
The Pat Tillman USO Center was built at the Bagram Air Base near Kabul with a £207,000 donation from the NFL. Four Pat Tillman Foundation Tillman scholars have been chosen to serve as the honorary coin toss captains for Sunday’s game, honoring him nearly 19 years after his passing.
“Pat Tillman gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “We are dedicated to making sure that his life and legacy are permanently honored and celebrated across the entire NFL family.” The fact that Pat was firmly rooted in helping people and making a difference in the world overshadowed his passion for football.
“We are so proud of the Tillman Foundation and the Tillman Scholar’s program whose mission is to help leaders make real change. These four Tillman Scholars have done just that and we are honoured to have them join us on the field to represent the Pat Tillman Foundation as this year’s coin toss captains.”
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