Criticism from the mother of Pat Tillman is fueling outrage over the decision to give Prince Harry an award named for her son. Tillman was a former NFL player who joined the military after the 9/11 attacks, became an Army Ranger and was later killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan. The details behind his death are controversial on their own and well documented.
But according to the New York Post, Tillman’s mother Mary is outraged by something new connected to her son’s name, namely ESPN’s decision to give the award named after him to Prince Harry.
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“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” Tillman told The Daily Mail. “There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.”
Mary Tillman was also confused about why the Royal was being honored over someone away from the spotlight. The Pat Tillman Award has been typically given to “unsung heroes,” with 2023’s award going to the Buffalo Bills training staff who helped revive Damar Hamlin after he suffered cardiac arrest mid-game.
Tillman’s mother was echoed by ESPN personality Pat McAfee who said the network was aiming to “piss people off” with their Royal choice. “It’s going to Prince Harry,” McAfee said. “[Who] I don’t even think is a Prince anymore, right? He said don’t call me that? See, why does the ESPYs do this s-t. This is like actually the most embarrassing thing I’ve seen in my entire life.”
Harry has also taken more criticism from sources in the U.K. over the decision to accept the award. According to The Daily Mail, familiar critics from the Royal Family circle are claiming Prince Harry is taking American awards because he has lost honors from his Royal tenure.
In Prince Harry’s defense, the reason he is being given the award is due to his military service and his work post-tours in Afghanistan, launching the Invictus Games with his brother in 2014 as a “muti-sport, Paralympic-styled games for wounded or injured servicemen and veterans.” Harry even credited the entire service community after learning he’d be receiving the award.
So if you stand back from the names involved, the former Royal fits the criteria for the award. That said, you can’t blame the family of Pat Tillman for being angry that they weren’t involved in the process of the award carrying his name.
