History of Pat Tillman in Timeline
Pat Tillman was an NFL player for the Arizona Cardinals who left his professional football career to enlist in the U.S. Army Special Operations following the September 11 attacks. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tillman's death garnered significant media attention, particularly after it was revealed that he was killed by friendly fire. His decision to leave a lucrative sports career for military service and the circumstances surrounding his death made him a notable figure.
July 9, 1918: Act of Congress
On July 9, 1918, an Act of Congress was authorized, which would be amended in 1963, and cited in the authorization of Pat Tillman's Silver Star posthumously.
July 25, 1963: Amendment to Act of Congress
On July 25, 1963, an act was made amending the Act of Congress authorized on July 9, 1918, and was cited in the authorization of Pat Tillman's Silver Star posthumously.
November 6, 1976: Patrick Tillman Jr. Born
On November 6, 1976, Patrick Daniel Tillman Jr. was born. He would later become a professional football player and U.S. Army soldier.
1983: Tillman's Father Graduates Law School
In 1983, Pat Tillman's father earned his Juris Doctor from Lincoln Law School of San Jose.
1994: Tillman Joins Arizona State University Team
In 1994, Pat Tillman started his college career as a linebacker for Arizona State University, securing the last remaining scholarship for the team.
1996: Clyde B. Smith Academic Award
In 1996, Pat Tillman received the Clyde B. Smith Academic Award for his academic achievements.
1997: All-American Honors
In 1997, Pat Tillman earned first-team All-American honors while playing college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
1997: Clyde B. Smith Academic Award & Sporting News Honda Scholar-Athlete of the Year
In 1997, Pat Tillman received the Clyde B. Smith Academic Award and the Sporting News Honda Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his academic and athletic achievements.
1997: Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year
In 1997, Pat Tillman was voted the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and named Arizona State's MVP.
1998: Sun Angel Student Athlete of the Year
In 1998, Pat Tillman was named Sun Angel Student Athlete of the Year, recognizing his achievements both academically and athletically.
1998: Drafted by Arizona Cardinals
In 1998, Pat Tillman was selected as the 226th pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL draft and received a $21,000 signing bonus.
2000: Named to NFL All-Pro Team
In 2000, Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman named Pat Tillman to his NFL All-Pro team after Tillman recorded 155 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 pass deflections, and 1 interception.
2001: Completes 2001 Season
In 2001, Pat Tillman completed the 15 remaining games of the 2001 NFL season.
May 2002: Tillman Enlists in the Army
In May 2002, Pat Tillman enlisted in the United States Army Special Operations following the September 11 attacks, leaving his career in the NFL.
May 2002: Tillman Turns Down Contract to Enlist
In May 2002, Pat Tillman turned down a $3.6 million contract offer from the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the U.S. Army, eight months after the September 11 attacks.
May 31, 2002: Tillman and Brother Enlist
On May 31, 2002, Pat Tillman and his brother Kevin enlisted in the U.S. Army together.
September 2002: Complete Basic Training
In September 2002, Pat Tillman and his brother Kevin completed basic training together.
September 2003: Tillman Enters Ranger School
In September 2003, after serving in Iraq, Pat Tillman entered Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
November 28, 2003: Tillman Graduates Ranger School
On November 28, 2003, Pat Tillman graduated from Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
December 2003: Tillman's atheism
In December 2003, Tillman told then-general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, Bob Ferguson, that he was not religious.
2003: Arthur Ashe Courage Award
In 2003, Pat Tillman received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award from ESPN during the ESPY Awards ceremony.
April 2004: Posthumous Silver Star
In April 2004, Corporal Patrick D. Tillman was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action in Afghanistan. He put himself in the line of fire, contributing to his platoon's success and survival.
April 22, 2004: Tillman Killed in Action
On April 22, 2004, Pat Tillman was killed in action in Afghanistan. Initial reports indicated he was killed by enemy combatants.
April 22, 2004: Pat Tillman's Death
On April 22, 2004, Pat Tillman died while serving in Afghanistan. Initially, it was reported that he was killed by enemy fire.
April 28, 2004: Silver Star Citation Approved
On April 28, 2004, Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal approved the Silver Star citation for Pat Tillman, detailing his death as occurring "in the line of devastating enemy fire."
May 28, 2004: Pentagon Notifies Tillman Family of Friendly Fire
On May 28, 2004, the Pentagon notified the Tillman family that Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, contradicting the initial reports of enemy fire.
September 19, 2004: NFL teams wore memorial decal for Tillman
On September 19, 2004, all NFL teams wore a memorial decal on their helmets in honor of Pat Tillman. The Arizona Cardinals continued wearing this decal throughout the 2004 season. Jake Plummer's request to wear the decal for the entire season was denied by the NFL.
2004: Kauzlarich conducted second investigation into Tillman's death
In 2004, Kauzlarich conducted the second investigation into Tillman's death, lasting from May 8 to 15.
2004: Kevin Tillman in Convoy Incident
In 2004, Kevin Tillman, Pat Tillman's brother, was in the convoy traveling behind his brother at the time of the incident in Afghanistan, but did not witness the shooting.
2004: NFL donated to USO in memory of Tillman
In 2004, the NFL donated $250,000 to the United Service Organizations to build a USO center in memory of Tillman.
April 1, 2005: Opening of the Pat Tillman USO Center
On April 1, 2005, the Pat Tillman USO Center, the first USO center in Afghanistan, opened on Bagram Air Base.
April 15, 2005: Inaugural Pat's Run
On April 15, 2005, the inaugural Pat's Run took place in Tempe with 5,000 participants raising funds for the Pat Tillman Foundation.
May 4, 2005: Washington Post Report on Tillman's Death
On May 4, 2005, The Washington Post described a report prepared by Brigadier General Gary M. Jones for the Tillman family, revealing that Army investigators knew Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire soon after his death, but senior commanders still approved the awarding of the Silver Star and Purple Heart.
September 25, 2005: Tillman's critical views of the Iraq War reported
On September 25, 2005, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Tillman held views critical of the Iraq War.
March 4, 2006: Criminal Investigation Opened
On March 4, 2006, the U.S. Defense Department Inspector General directed the Army to open a criminal investigation of Pat Tillman's death to determine if it was the result of negligent homicide.
November 12, 2006: Bronze statue revealed in Tillman's honor
On November 12, 2006, a bronze statue was revealed in Pat Tillman's honor during a Cardinals game versus the Cowboys.
November 2006: Autopsy Report Investigation
In November 2006, an investigation of the autopsy report and photographs by two forensic pathologists concluded that Pat Tillman was most likely killed by fire from an M249 light machine gun.
2006: "World Wide Suicide" song released
In 2006, Pearl Jam released the song "World Wide Suicide", which was largely about Tillman.
March 19, 2007: CID Report Summary on Tillman's Death
The CID Report summary, dated March 19, 2007, concluded that Pat Tillman and an Afghan militia soldier were killed by friendly fire due to confusion within his platoon after gunfire was mistaken for enemy combatants.
March 26, 2007: Pentagon Releases Report
On March 26, 2007, the Pentagon released their report on the events surrounding Pat Tillman's death and the subsequent coverup.
April 24, 2007: Testimony Before House Committee
On April 24, 2007, Specialist Bryan O'Neal testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that he was warned not to divulge information about Tillman's death, and Kevin Tillman testified that the military tried to spin his brother's death.
July 13, 2007: Congress Denied Document Release
On July 13, 2007, Henry Waxman and Tom Davis revealed that the Bush administration and the Pentagon withheld key documents relating to Tillman's death and denied any new document release request from Congress.
July 26, 2007: Chris Matthews Reports on Tillman's Death
On July 26, 2007, Chris Matthews reported on Hardball that Pat Tillman's death may have been a case of deliberate murder by fellow soldiers based on a report from doctors who examined Tillman's body.
August 13, 2007: Veterans Ask NFL for Document Release
On August 13, 2007, 20 U.S. military veterans, on behalf of VoteVets, asked NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to help secure the release of all documents relating to the death of Pat Tillman.
September 2007: Memorial dedicated during New Almaden Day celebration
In September 2007, a memorial was dedicated near the Almaden Quicksilver County Park during the annual New Almaden Day celebration.
2007: Pentagon Releases Report Ruling Death Accidental
In 2007, the Pentagon released a report ruling Pat Tillman's death as accidental, following initial reports and later investigations that revealed he was killed by friendly fire.
April 2008: Release of "Boots on the Ground by Dusk"
In April 2008, Mary Tillman released the book "Boots on the Ground by Dusk" about her son, Pat Tillman.
July 14, 2008: House Committee Releases Report
On July 14, 2008, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a proposed report titled "Misleading Information from the Battlefield: The Tillman and Lynch Episodes", stating that their investigation was frustrated by a near universal lack of recall among senior officials.
September 2008: "Walk for Pat" began
In September 2008, Rory Fanning began his "Walk for Pat", walking across the United States to raise money and awareness for the Pat Tillman Foundation.
2009: Two books about Tillman published
In 2009, two books about Tillman were published, including "Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman" by Jon Krakauer.
January 23, 2010: The Tillman Story shown at Sundance Film Festival
On January 23, 2010, the documentary film "The Tillman Story" was shown at the Sundance Film Festival.
August 2010: Release of The Tillman Story
In August 2010, the documentary film "The Tillman Story" was released.
2010: Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
In 2010, Pat Tillman was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, honoring his achievements in college football.
2011: Pat Tillman Veteran's Center opened
In 2011, the Pat Tillman Veteran's Center opened on the Tempe campus.
2013: Renovation of the Tillman Tunnel
In 2013, the Tillman Tunnel was renovated with new graphics and signage, featuring a television displaying Pat Tillman's career highlights.
October 29, 2015: ASU Sun Devils wore special uniforms to honor Tillman
On October 29, 2015, the Arizona State University Sun Devils football team wore special uniforms made by Adidas to honor Tillman and his career during a game against the Oregon Ducks, with all proceeds going to the Pat Tillman Foundation.
2018: Posthumously Inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame
In 2018, Pat Tillman was posthumously inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to sports in Arizona.
2018: Middle school named after Tillman
In 2018, the Balsz School District in Phoenix named a middle school after Tillman.
April 2019: Pat's Run attendance
In April 2019, Pat's Run continued to grow with more than 28,000 attendees.
2019: NFL supports the Pat Tillman Foundation
As of 2019, the NFL continues to support the Pat Tillman Foundation through its Salute to Service campaign.
2024: Signing Bonus Equivalent
In 1998, Pat Tillman received a signing bonus of $21,000 which is equivalent to $40,512 in 2024.
2024: Contract Offer Equivalent
In May 2002, Pat Tillman turned down a contract offer of $3.6 million from the Cardinals, equivalent to $6 million in 2024.
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