Pat Tillman

1976 – 2004

Patrick Daniel Tillman was an American football safety for the Arizona Cardinals who left a multimillion-dollar NFL contract in 2002 to enlist in the U.S. Army Rangers in the wake of the September 11 attacks. He served deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan before being killed in eastern Afghanistan in April 2004 at age 27. His death drew widespread attention after the Pentagon initially concealed that it was caused by friendly fire, and his family's pursuit of accountability has continued for decades.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM