Tag: pat tillman

Tillman pick Jaden Davis wins Pat Tillman Scout Team Player of the Week

Jaden Davis was selected with the same pick in the draft as Pat Tillman was and got to wear his jersey this week in practice.

It was after 238 days that the long wait for Arizona Cardinals practice squad cornerback Jaden Davis ended. He was named the Pat Tillman Scout Team Player of the Week and wore the No. 40 jersey in practice this week in preparation for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Selected last April on the third day of the NFL draft in the seventh round, Davis was taken at pick No. 226, the same slot in which Pat Tillman was chosen by the Cardinals in 1998. Tillman Scholars Deborah Trimble and Jeremy Glasstetter made the announcement live from Detroit at the podium.

Seventeen days after the pick was made, Davis talked to the media at the start of OTAs and said he didn’t know of the Tillman connection until he was on the phone with general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon.

“When I got the call, I was just more in shock,” Davis said then. “Everything’s happening so fast, all the cameras are around me, but once I was able to settle down and actually do some research for myself, I was able to even connect with the Pat Tillman Foundation. (CEO) Katherine Steele, I was able to send a DM to them possibly be more interactive with them just in the future because this is something that’s big.

“I walk in the facility and there’s only one memorial and that’s the one of Pat Tillman. So I knew it was a big deal. Being from south Florida, you heard of Pat Tillman, but it’s not as big as it is when you come out here. You realize who he really is and what he stood for. He really did it on a way bigger scale. I was just shocked and amazed.”

Davis didn’t make the 53-man roster, but was signed to the practice squad where he has been the entire season. He was doubly impressed when he learned of the weekly award that was in place.

He admitted this week, “That was something that was a goal of mine the whole year. That was something that was really important to me just having the honor to wear his jersey.”

As to the fact the award exists, he said, “It’s great by JG, Monti and Mr. Bidwill; something that there they’re really instilling in the program to keep his name in our hearts and on our minds every day. We pass his name every day. He’s the only one that has a statue in the building. He’s the only one that has his jersey up, so that’s the only sign in the building besides ‘Team You.’ So that’s something that’s important for everybody in this building and we just continue to honor his name every day.

“It’s a running thing every week, like, who’s gonna get it? Who’s gonna make the most plays and it’s really in the fast periods. You got to make plays in fast periods. So there’s been a couple weeks where I’m like, might I get it? Should I not get it? But last week, I kind of felt like, ‘OK, I had a really good week so I should get it’ and I had a good idea. So when coach told me I was really happy.”

Noting that he wore the jersey during Christmas week, he said, “It was a big gift. I called my mom. I talked to Katherine at the Pat Tillman Foundation. She just texted me. So it was a big deal for me and hopefully I can continue to spread his story and do things that bring his name in a good light.”

As for the mindset of being on the practice squad and all that entails, Davis said, “I just prepare like a starter each week. Talking to my coaches, meeting extra with my coaches, I just want to be in position to win if my name is called. I’m gonna be ready for it. Guys like Garrett (Williams), Budda (Baker), it’s a great group. They help me out every day and they keep me locked in. So, I’m just preparing like a starter every day and my path is my path.

“It was something I’ve been working towards. I’ve been grinding every day, trying to lock these receivers up. It’s a tall task because we got some great guys on the other side, but I put it really to the other players in my room and the coaches. Really, they helped me. They prepare me every day whether that be for scout team or whether it’s for the two’s reps. So just doing my best every day and competing and that’s all I can do.”

The day after the season ends, teams are able to sign players from the practice squad to future contracts and while Davis said his agent handles that, he hopes to remain with the team.

“Whatever path God leads me on, that’s what I’m gonna follow,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m a Cardinal next year.”

Whatever happens, he plans to become involved with the Pat Tillman Foundation.

He said, “Rookie year is a little bit hectic, but obviously next year and during this offseason, I plan on doing a lot more things with the foundation and just helping out as much as I can. It’s an honor to be picked and God blessed me with that opportunity. So I’m just happy to be here and I’m happy to continue to spread his name.

“I want to do things that honor the foundation whether that be here or back in Florida. I want to spread his word coast to coast. They do different things in different states, different areas. And I just want to add my own little spice to it and my avenues, whether that be the kids in South Florida or whether that be the veterans in the Florida area, just something that I can add to the foundation and add value.”

Finally, Davis reflected on seeing the preserved Tillman locker every day and his own name featured.

He said, “It’s inspirational. Not only was he a good person, but he was a good player. We’re seeing how the whole organization really pours into him. His name is something that’s just amazing. That’s what sports are all about.

“Now your name is right next to his, and that’s the honor in itself. So we’re never gonna be on his level because he made the ultimate sacrifice, but to have my name on the wall next to his name is just something that’s just amazing to me. And I just smile every time I think about it.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Check out which Cardinals player got to wear the Pat Tillman jersey in Week 14

Kei’Trel Clark, second-year cornerback, was the Cardinals’ scout-team player of the week this week and got o wear a Pat Tillman jersey.

His first two seasons have been somewhat like a roller coaster for cornerback Kei’Trel Clark.

A sixth-round pick in 2023, he opened the season as a starter and did that for five of the first six games. However, he started only two more games for the remainder of the season.

This year, he’s played mostly on special teams and was inactive for two games. In the 10 games Clark has played, he was on the field for a total of 45 defensive snaps with 21 in Week 5 against the 49ers when Garrett Williams was inactive. There have also been 79 snaps on special teams.

In practice, there has been a lot of scout-team work and that resulted in him being that group’s Pat Tillman Player of the Week for what he did in preparation for last week’s game against the Vikings. That meant he’s wearing the special Tillman No. 40 jersey in practice this week.

Clark said he told Williams he hadn’t been thinking about winning the award, but then said, “It’s definitely a blessing to have it and now that I have it, I don’t want to get rid of it.

“Now my goal is to get it again for this week. I just want to keep on stacking the days and it’s good to see that my hard work is being noticed.”

Clark said he didn’t know much about Tillman’s legacy before he arrived in Arizona last year. However, he noted, “Since I’ve been here, I’ve been literally plastered with the type of person that he was and what he meant to this club and how influential he was in the NFL as well just as a person. I feel like it’s an honor to be able to get that award.”

The self-aware Clark believes the award isn’t only about practice.

He said, “It’s how you are in the building. How you treat people, just how you are every single day when you approach the job and touch the green grass. It’s about keeping on task and just a matter of being consistent, being disciplined and being the best teammate and person I can be.”

Those are words that surely defined Pat Tillman.

2024 Pat Tillman Scout-Team Award Winners

Week 1: RB Michael Carter (practice squad)

Week 2: LB Markus Bailey (practice squad)

Week 3: WR Andre Baccellia (practice squad)

Week 4: OL Jon Gaines II

Week 5: WR Xavier Weaver

Week 6: DL P.J. Mustipher (practice squad)

Week 7: S Joey Blount

Week 8: WR Chris Moore (practice squad)

Week 9: OLB Ronnie Perkins (practice squad)

Week 10: QB Clayton Tune

Week 12: LB Milo Eifler (practice squad)

Week 13: CB Kei’Trel Clark

Newbie Ronnie Perkins gets Pat Tillman jersey after practice work in Week 9

Practice squad linebacker Ronnie Perkins was the latest honoree of practice player of the week and wore a Pat Tillman jersey in practice.

Edge rusher Ronnie Perkins has had a rough go of it during his first four seasons in the NFL after being a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2021.

However, Perkins was front and center this week in practice for the Arizona Cardinals only 21 days after being signed to the practice squad. He was wearing No. 40 as the scout team player of the week for his work leading up to last Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears.

“It’s a great feeling,” Perkins said. “I’m still kinda the new guy. I’ve only been here for three weeks now. I missed the whole training camp (in Denver) with an injury, so just getting back to football. But it feels good to earn that with a new team, for the coaches to notice the work I’m putting in, for my teammates to notice the work I’m putting in.”

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Perkins “had a really good week last week. Rushed really well, played the run game really well and gave us a really good look. First play of the game, sure enough, something that he didn’t practice, they do the exact same thing first play of the game, and it looked the same; which is good. He’s done a good job.”

Perkins said he knew a lot about Tillman before arriving in Arizona.

He said, “I’m a huge football guy. I was always around it, always watched it, so I knew a lot about Pat before I came here. Every time 9/11 rolls around, the Pat story goes around a lot, so I knew about Pat Tillman pretty much since my childhood. Just to be able share his jersey with him, share his number with him, it’s like an incredible feeling.”

Players compete for the award each week and Perkins said once he learned about the award, “it was definitely one of my goals. I told JG earlier, ‘I want it again next week.’ I got it now and the plan is not to let it get away from me. Just keep working, keep doing what I’m doing. Try to get the guys prepared for Sunday.”

Making it even more worthwhile is that it came in the week that the NFL is celebrating Veterans Day as well as the 48th anniversary of Tillman’s birth being Nov. 6 and ESPN broadcasting a show about his story Thursday.

“That definitely makes it more special,” Perkins said Thursday. “I found out yesterday it was his birthday, the first practice of the week. It lit a fire under me, feeling some magical powers wearing his number on his birthday. It’s just giving me more motivation to go out there, go hard playing in his name and his number. It’s definitely an honor. I just want to go out there, make him proud as he is watching down on the Cardinals from heaven.”

Asked for his reaction after finding out last Saturday he had won the award, Perkins said, “I’m gonna be real. J.O. Jr. (Julian Okwara), he turned around and looked at me like I was so shocked. He looked at my face and it was like, ‘Why you looking so shocked.’”

Perkins admitted, “If you ask me, I still haven’t put my best stuff on film yet. I am doing some good things. I don’t want to discredit myself, but I was shocked because I still feel like I got a long ways to go. Like I said, I missed out on training camp and the preseason, so trying to just figure back out some football stuff. But it was a great feeling for the coaches to recognize me; they feel like I did a great job of helping the team out last week.”

Missing time unfortunately has been a large part of his first three-plus seasons in the NFL.

In his rookie year, Perkins was inactive for 13 games and then ended the season on injured reserve. The entire 2022 season was also spent on IR. Waived by the Patriots on Aug. 29, 2023, he was signed to their practice squad, but was then signed to the active roster by the Broncos where new Cardinal Baron Browning was also an edge rusher.

He played in seven games that season, but this past summer was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 7 and waived Sept. 17 before coming to the Cardinals a month later.

Perkins hopes he gets more opportunities to show the coaching staff what he can do.

He said, “Every week I go home, watch the film, figure out where I need to get better and next week I come in and attack that. I feel like in these last two weeks, every full padded practice, every hard practice, I’ve gotten better and I’ve progressed a lot. I still feel I’m not where I wanna be, but I feel like I’ll get there.”

In the true spirit of Pat Tillman.

2024 Pat Tillman Scout-Team Award Winners

Week 1: RB Michael Carter (practice squad)

Week 2: LB Markus Bailey (practice squad)

Week 3: WR Andre Baccellia (practice squad)

Week 4: OL Jon Gaines II

Week 5: WR Xavier Weaver

Week 6: DL P.J. Mustipher (practice squad)

Week 7: S Joey Blount

Week 8: WR Chris Moore (practice squad)

Week 9: OLB Ronnie Perkins (practice squad)

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Pat Tillman story to be presented on ESPN and ESPN.com Thursday

On Thursday, ESPN will showcase the story of the great Pat Tillman.

With Veterans Day approaching, ESPN is rolling out content Thursday on the inspiring, but tragic story of former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman.

The day will begin on ESPN.com with wide-ranging multimedia treatment and then an ESPN E60 one-hour episode will air on ESPN at 5 pm Arizona time. After that, it will be shown on ESPN+.

A network press release said the show, titled Pat Tillman: Life. Death. Legacy., “presents new reporting and interviews that shed light on the captivating story of one of the most famous soldiers in U.S. history, whose decision to turn down a multimillion-dollar football contract and enlist in the military drew major national news coverage during the War on Terror.”

Jeremy Schaap will host the program that “examines the role of military leadership in fateful decisions in the tragedy and in keeping the truth from Tillman’s family and the public for more than a month” and “focuses on the ongoing torment of Tillman’s platoonmates, compounded by a shared sense that commanders were never held accountable for their actions.”

Tillman’s mom, Mary “Dannie” Tillman, talks about her “long quest for answers and how she feels today about the platoon and commanders. She also describes what she suspected and ultimately concluded.”

There is also an exclusive interview with Pete Geren, former Secretary of the Army, who hasn’t publicly talked about what happened for more than 15 years. He “addresses the failures of the military in the aftermath of Tillman’s death.”

Also included in the one-hour show are interviews with members of the platoon who were there when Tillman was killed by friendly fire: Eric Godec, Steven Elliott, Don Lee and Bryan O’Neal.

ESPN said others interviewed include:

Pete Blaber: Retired Special Operations Commander and author of Common Sense Leadership Matters: Toxic Leadership Destroys

Dave McGinnis: Tillman’s head coach with the Cardinals

Terry Hardtke: Tillman’s coach at Leland High School in San Jose, Calif.

Jake Plummer: Teammate of Tillman at Arizona State and the Cardinals

Zack Walz: Tillman’s teammate with the Cardinals

Doug Tammaro: Arizona State University media liaison

Annette Hill: Therapist who works with veterans

Gene Lower: Cardinals photographer

In the past, ESPN has won MRE (Military Reporters and Editors) journalism awards for TV (Outside the Lines) and online specials in 2006 and 2014 and a 2007 Sports Emmy nomination.

Schaap wrote on X, “It was an honor to be part of the team that produced this show, which tells the story of how he lived, why he fought and how he died.”

Watch the show’s trailer here. 

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

40 days till the Cardinals’ season opener against the Bills

Pat Tillman was the last player to wear No. 40 for the Cardinals, as it was retired after he was killed in action when he was in Afghanistan.

The Arizona Cardinals are a day closer to the start of the regular season. They will take the field at Highmark Stadium in Week 1 on the road against the Buffalo Bills in 40 days.

There is no No. 40 on the Cardinals’ roster and has not been for more than 20 years.

No. 40 was retired for Pat Tillman.

Tillman, the Arizona State standout drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round in 1998, played four seasons, left the NFL to enlist with the Army Rangers and was killed in action in Afghanistan.

He was an impact player for the team and an impact person for those around him and, ultimately gave his life in service of the country.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Pro Football Hall of Fame has special Pat Tillman display for Memorial Day

His Army Ranger jacket is on display for the holiday weekend.

Happy Memorial Day! It is a day to celebrate those who died in service of our freedoms. The Arizona Cardinals and their fans have somewhat a symbol of the holiday in Pat Tillman, the former Cardinals and Arizona State player who left football to serve as an Army Ranger, only to be killed in action 20 years ago.

This holiday weekend, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has a special display dedicated to Tillman.

It has his Army Ranger jacket.

There is a Tillman football card as part of a mosaic. He is the only player not inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the mosaic.

It’s always good to see some extra honor for the fallen hero that is Tillman, especially for local fans in Arizona.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Miami DB Jaden Davis honored to be selected by Cardinals at pick No. 226

The Cardinals honored former safety Pat Tillman in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Arizona Cardinals made a noble and honorable decision when they went on the clock with the No. 226 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Cardinals paid tribute to Cardinal legend Pat Tillman, who was chosen with the same pick in 1998. Arizona chose former University of Miami defensive back Jaden Davis.

This was a move not lost on Davis who said it was important to him that the Cardinals did this and he was excited to be honored in that way.

As a player, Davis is a bit undersized but plays very physical. He’s an exceptional tackler and takes pride in his run support. He could see time on special teams and work as one of the team’s inside cornerbacks in sub packages.

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Pat Tillman’s legacy affirmed with anniversary of his death

Hallelujah to the Pat Tillman Foundation and all its dedicated supporters.

Through sheer sadness and tragedy, sometimes there is triumph, and that is the overwhelming reaction to my first experience (and certainly not the last) with the Pat Tillman Foundation and Pat’s Run.

What makes it even more gratifying is that it wouldn’t have happened had Joe Horrigan, my co-host on the Pro Football Hall of Fame radio show, not lost his voice a day before our April 3 broadcast. Coincidence? No. Somehow, it was meant to be.

Rich Desrosiers, the Hall’s chief communications and content officer, took Horrigan’s place and in addition to the two Hall of Famers coming on the show, arranged to have foundation co-founder Alex Garwood, Tillman’s brother-in-law, on the show.

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The timing was apt, with this year’s Pat’s Run being the 20th as well as the approaching 20th anniversary of his death, which is Monday.

To say that Garwood is passionate about Tillman’s legacy and the work that has been accomplished by the foundation is a massive understatement.

It motivated me to write several stories on this site and, most important, participate in the weekend events that included the reception the night before and the run the following morning when I decided spontaneously to walk the 4.2-mile course.

That occurred when seeing the starting line banner with the Pat Tillman foundation logo on both sides with the words “Service Beyond Self” on the left and “Every Finish Line is a Starting Line” on the right.

And then watching the thousands of runners gather, including the presence of about 90 of the nearly 900 Tillman Scholars that have benefitted from the program that began in 2009. They were either volunteers or runners, so it was the least I could do.

From the website, “The foundation identifies remarkable military service members, veterans and spouses, empowering them with academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development opportunities and a diverse, global community of high-performing mentors and peers. These scholars are making an impact as they lead through action in the fields of health care, business, public service, STEM, education and the humanities.”

Each year, only 60 from the thousands of applicants become the chosen ones.

As Garwood described, “When you spend time with a Tillman Scholar, most of it is inspiring. Most of it makes you want to do more.”

Truer words were never spoken.

There was Dr. Katherine Steele, a 2014 Scholar who was named foundation CEO this year, and spoke at the reception. After becoming a Scholar, she was a frequent volunteer and then eventually became director of programs before being named CEO in January.

Steele told CardsWire, “Being awarded the Tillman Scholarship in 2014 was a transformative experience for me, personally and professionally. It helped me financially and allowed me to connect with a community of individuals who were equally passionate about service, impact, and humble leadership. The Tillman Scholar community motivated me to continue my commitment to education and service, and it validated my belief that one person can make a positive impact on the world.

“As the CEO, I am excited to give back to an organization that has given me so much. My goal is to create an environment where scholars can thrive, realize their full potential, and significantly impact their communities. The Tillman Scholar community has provided me with an incredible network of support, mentorship, and inspiration, and I want to ensure that future generations of scholars have the same opportunities.”

She believes the future remains exciting, saying, “I am committed to expanding the reach and influence of the Foundation by exploring new and innovative ways to support scholars and pay it forward. I am dedicated to creating a culture of service and leadership that embodies Pat Tillman’s legacy of integrity, humility, and selflessness. As a Tillman Scholar, I have seen firsthand the life-changing impact this scholarship can have on an individual’s life and their ability to make a difference in the world. Leading PTF and carrying Pat’s legacy is truly an honor and privilege.”

Also speaking at the reception were Liz O’Herrin-Lee (2010 Scholar) and Amber Manke (2012).

O’Herrin-Lee was scheduled to enlist in the National Guard on Sept. 10, 2001, but was told to return the next day (9/11) to sign in. Greeted the next morning by the horrifying images in New York City, would she decide not to enlist or follow through? We know the answer. O’Herrin Lee chose courage and served seven years in the Wisconsin Air National Guard assembling and transporting conventional weapons for F-16s.

She actively fought for the post-9/11 GI bill that provided better educational support for veterans.

Manke was named to the foundation board of directors in 2023 and she said then, “I was deeply honored to have been chosen as a Tillman Scholar, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide a voice and lead inside the foundation as a member of the board. I feel just like I did when I got the call to join this community in 2012: humbled, surprised and energized. I’m ready to bring my experience and passion for organizational leadership and development to make a difference.”

Being a Tillman Scholar enabled her to earn a master’s degree in adult education and a PhD in organizational leadership, policy and development from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and she was selected to attend the United States Army War College to obtain a master’s in strategic studies.

Manke helped launch the Tillman Foundation’s regional captain program, which builds engagement with Tillman Scholars through volunteer service projects and social events throughout the country. She has served as a lieutenant colonel in the Minnesota Army National Guard as a battalion commander training the next generation of second lieutenants and warrant officers.

The day of the run after I walked the 4.2-mile course, I met 2012 Scholar Joe Molina, who has been active duty for 26 years and was a decorated Navy Seal after nine deployments.

He explained that the Scholar grants weren’t limited to educational costs. When he was 32 and his wife Stephanie was 27, they enrolled in college and were also able to use the funds for childcare.

Yes, inspiring is the operative word.

I couldn’t help but notice during the reception that Garwood was wearing flip-flops, which seemed apropos while recalling former Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis talking about the day Tillman showed up at the team facility to talk to him a few days after being drafted also with flip-flops.

Other inspiring moments came after meeting Kevin Tillman at the reception and then shortly afterward, as the reception wound down and while getting ready to leave, a song playing in the room captured my attention. It was Leonard Cohen’s emotional “Hallelujah.”

Cohen once explained, “Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means ‘Glory to the Lord.’ The song explains that many kinds of Hallelujahs do exist. I say, all the perfect and broken Hallelujahs have an equal value. It’s a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.”

There are several verses of the song that resonate, but perhaps none more than this one:

“I did my best, it wasn’t much.

I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch.

I told the truth, I didn’t come to fool ya.

And even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand before the Lord of Song.

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.”

Hallelujah to the Pat Tillman Foundation and all its dedicated supporters.

Most important, a tear-filled Hallelujah to Pat Tillman, whose passing way too soon has nonetheless resulted in so much good for so many.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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PODCAST: Pat Tillman’s legacy, Pat’s Race and the Pat Tillman Foundation with Howards Balzer

Howard Balzer joins the podcast with Jess Root to talk about what he learned in a recent interview with Tillman’s brother-in-law Alex Garwood.

In an extra edition of the podcast this week, Cards Wire deputy editor Howard Balzer joined me on the podcast to talk about Pat Tillman.

This weekend is the 20th Pat’s Run and later this month it will be the 20th anniversary of when Tillman was killed in action in Afghanistan.

We talk about what Balzer learned from interviewing Tillman’s brother-in-law Alex Garwood, who is also the co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation, on SiriusXM’s Hall of Fame Radio, and from recently talking to former Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis.

Enjoy the show!

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

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Tillman Scholars exemplify Pat Tillman’s values

More about Pat Tillman’s legacy through Tillman’s Scholars.

It’s difficult to slow down Alex Garwood when he starts talking about his brother-in-law Pat Tillman.

The 20th Pat’s Run to benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation is only five days away and two weeks (April 22) marks the 20th anniversary of Tillman’s death from friendly fire in Afghanistan. Still, what he represents remains present in the lives of those close to him.

Garwood’s wife Christine is the sister of Marie Tillman, Pat’s widow and Garwood notes, “I always just say, ‘Pat and I married sisters,’ which makes me his brother-in-law and, more importantly, offered me the opportunity to earn his friendship.”

The co-founder of the foundation and the annual run, Garwood said on the Pro Football Hall of Fame radio show last week on SiriusXM NFL radio, “My wife and I are very fortunate. We’ve got three sons and our oldest (Ryan) is 23, our middle guy (Adam) is 21 and our youngest (Scott) is 18. So I’m not super great at math, but I have two boys that Pat met and one that he never met. So something for us is kind of a selfish thing is how do we keep Pat’s memory alive. How do we share who he was with our boys?

“He’s been ever-present in their lives and it’s just something that we work on, quite frankly, daily. And then how do you then translate that from a small little world of just our small family, but how do we translate that into a foundation. How do we share it with 30,000 of our closest friends at Pat’s Run next weekend? It’s an interesting balance.”

Striking a balance

Asked about that balance and how it was manifest as his sons grew up, Garwood said, “One of the challenges that we have; you notice when I talk about Pat, I don’t say Pat Tillman because to me and to my sons, he was just Uncle Pat and the way we talk about that. And I don’t dismiss any of it because I get that it’s the Pat Tillman Foundation and I get that Pat Tillman has a display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I get that. But we talk more about the individual and the closer contact. The reason I bring that up is there’s a balance for my sons and for my wife and I as we use him as an example for how to live right.

“Because Pat was far from perfect. I think he gets held up sometimes in this great way. But it’s also great to be able to say to our sons, ‘Look, Pat was great because he investigated and thought and asked questions and then made a decision based on convictions and then did what he thought was right. Wasn’t always perfect.’ So it’s great to be able to hold him (up) as an example, but know that he was fallible and I think that is so important because if you’re striving for perfection and you miss you can’t be disappointed. If you’re striving for greatness and fall slightly short, well, that’s awesome. So I really give Pat a lot of credit for that and that it was a wonderful example but not unattainable. It was a wonderful example but not something that was too perfect.”

Garwood becomes even more passionate when he talks about Tillman’s values and how they are kept alive.

“Just because you’re fast, it might make you a great wide receiver, but it doesn’t necessarily make you a great human,” Garwood said. “I do think we hold (up) Pat because he was a phenomenal athlete and a crazy good football player and an amazing athlete. He played the hardest game on the planet and played it at an exceptional level. With all of that, he’s this human that marries his high-school sweetheart, was always loyal to her, includes her in all decisions. They were a team. He stays with his local team instead of signing for millions. He does all that and oh, and by the way, continues to push himself in the offseason, runs a marathon the next year, does a half Ironman. Who does that? Pat did. He was going to graduate school and getting his master’s in history. Doesn’t tell anyone. He just does all of those things.”

The Tillman Scholars

“To segue that with our foundation; our attempt is to carry forward Pat’s legacy. How do you do that? It’s incredibly complicated, but we’re doing that through 900 men and women who are called Tillman Scholars and they are men and women who have served or are spouses of those who have served. Some are currently serving and I will tell you this: when you spend time with a Tillman Scholar, most of it is inspiring. Most of it makes you want to do more. It’s also intimidating as hell because they are so incredible and you’re thinking to yourself, ‘I sell software for a living.’ But they are so incredible and those men and women range across the board of all services, all branches, all walks of life and some of them are doctors. You’ve got your Navy Seal who was a corpsman who got tired of watching his guys die and heal and is now a doctor. You have folks like that.

“But you also have men and women that are first in their family to go get their undergraduate degree and are going back to the tough areas where they grew up and are making a difference. We like to say when you have the opportunity to spend time with a Tillman Scholar, ask them not about themselves because they’re incredibly humble, but you ask a Tillman Scholar about the person that they are standing next to and the Tillman Scholar brags about the next Tillman Scholar and I promise you, you will be inspired to do and to act much like our friend Pat.”

To become inspired, visit The Pat Tillman Foundation website.

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