Pat Tillman killed in Afghanistan

ESPN.com news services
Former NFL defensive back Pat Tillman was killed in action while serving as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan, ABCNEWS reported Friday.


He was 27.


Tillman was killed in direct action during a firefight in Afghanistan, Pentagon sources told ABCNEWS. No other details were yet available.


Tillman played four seasons for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals as a safety after starring at Arizona State University.


In May of 2002, Tillman announced his intentions to join the Army, turning down a $3.6 million contract offer in the process. Tillman and his brother Kevin decided to enroll in the U.S. Army Rangers after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.


Both Pat and Kevin, a former minor league baseball prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization, committed to three-year military terms, landing spots with the elite U.S. Army Rangers. The two served in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.


Pat and Kevin were recipients of the 11th annual Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2003 ESPYs. Their younger brother, Richard, accepted the award while the brothers were away.


The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Pat graduated summa cum laude with a 3.84 GPA from Arizona State, with a degree in marketing.

Interesting and sad

I've been following Tillman's story since he made the decision to enlist. I imagine we'll be hearing a LOT more about this story as he's a celebrity.

I truly admire him. Too leave millions on the table and serve your country shows the highest character....

I pray he rests in peace....

The fact of the matter is - they're all Pat Tillman's. He's going to bring that point home.

I agree Squidly. Every loss is a loss and none are above the other as they are all sacrificing a great deal to serve our country. But in todays world, I have to admit to admiring him all that much more for giving up a lucrative life that has a certain shelf life opportunity in order to serve his country and follow what he believes in. I'm not sure people like that are in abundance in our society any more. Back in WWII, many athletes gave up their careers, put them at risk, or were killed in action.

Regardless, it's a tragic loss as is every single one of them.

"In sports we have a tendency to overuse terms like courage and bravery and heroes," said Cardinals vice president Michael Bidwill, son of the team's owner Bill Bidwill, "and then someone like Pat Tillman comes along and reminds us what those terms really mean."

A quote from Pat himself:

“My great grandfather was at Pearl Harbor, and a lot of my family has ... gone and fought in wars, and I really haven’t done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that,” Tillman told NBC News in an interview the day after the attacks.

Yeah, the guy OOZED self excellence as a man.