Arizona State wearing Pat Tillman helmets, uniforms in honor of Veteran's Day
Pat Tillman's legacy goes well beyond football.
The Arizona State legend was an American hero who walked away from millions of dollars to serve his country on the front lines of a war against terrorism. It has been 20 years since Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan, but his presence will always loom large over the Sun Devils' program.
On Saturday vs. UCF, the Sun Devils will honor Tillman with special uniforms that honor him and all service members as a Veteran's Day tribute.
Arizona State's helmets will feature a shield with Tillman's initials, his number (42) and a single star. Their jerseys will have a black Pat Tillman shield at the base of the collar.
Here's a look at ASU's Pat Tillman uniforms:
Today @ASUFootball plays to honor those who have served and are currently serving 🇺🇸
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) November 9, 2024
Thank you to @CollegeGameDay for showcasing the Uni and sharing Pat's story.#PT42 /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/xCbj1RnpMp
The uniforms were featured on ESPN's College GameDay broadcast Saturday morning as part of the network's promotion of their new program and investigative report on Tillman's legacy and controversy surrounding his death.
ESPN's "Pat Tillman: Life. Death. Legacy." 60-minute program debuted on Thursday and can be streamed on ESPN+. According to ESPN it features "new reporting and interviews that shed light on Tillman's fascinating and tragic story." (You can read ESPN's investigative report here.)
Tillman played linebacker for Arizona State from 1994 to 1998. As a junior he helped lead the Sun Devils to an 11-1 record and a Rose Bowl berth. As a senior he was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and was named Arizona State's MVP.
Tillman was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He moved from linebacker to safety and developed into one of the best safeties in the NFL over four seasons with the Cardinals.
In May 2002, Tillman walked away from the NFL to enlist in the Army with his brother, Kevin. After being deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Tillman returned to the U.S. to enter Ranger School. As an Army Ranger, he was eventually deployed to Afghanistan. On April 22, 2004, he was killed by friendly fire.
Tillman would have turned 48 on Nov. 6.
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Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. One of his favorite memories was covering the 1999 Fiesta Bowl - the first BCS National Championship Game - at Sun Devil Stadium.