CHARACTER COUNTS

Arizona Cardinals, ASU honor Pat Tillman’s legacy on Memorial Day

May 28, 2018, 3:30 PM

The Arizona Cardinals and Arizona State Sun Devils honored the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice Monday, which includes one of their own.

Pat Tillman was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh-round of the 1998 NFL Draft, but put his professional football career behind him in 2002 when he enlisted in the United States Army.

While in Afghanistan in 2004, Tillman was killed in action, leaving behind a legacy that is now honored by fans in Arizona and across the country.

The Cardinals shared a moving video as a tribute to Tillman, which included an interview with the former safety from 2001.

“The National Anthem is about a 10 actually, I get fired up for that,” Tillman said when asked about his level of intensity before a game. “For whatever reason I have a patriotic bone to me. Emotionally, I actually let myself go for that but then I come right back down.”

Arizona State’s tribute to Tillman included pictures of his time as a Sun Devil, a Cardinal and when he was deployed.

The honor for the men and women who served didn’t stop there, as other teams, schools and players in Arizona took to social media to show their appreciation.

Presented By
Western Governors University

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Arizona Cardinals, ASU honor Pat Tillman’s legacy on Memorial Day