Pat Tillman

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“Nothing is given to man on earth - struggle is built into the nature of life, and conflict is possible - the hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen”( Bernstein). As Andrew Bernstein says in this quote, a hero is someone who doesn’t let adversity stop him from living his dreams. While a hero is a person who overcomes obstacles with determination, he also sacrifices the things he wants for the benefits of other people. However, there aren’t many people that have these qualities, which makes a hero a one of a kind person. One of the few people that fit these criteria is Pat Tillman, who gave up wealth and his life for his country’s safety, after he achieved his lifelong goal to play in the NFL.

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Born on November 6, 1976 in San Jose, California, Tillman grew up as the oldest of three brothers, so he became used to being a role model. His football talents became noticed when he led his high school team to a league championship. Once colleges realized his talents, Tillman received scholarship offers from many schools, but he chose Arizona State University. After he graduated in three and a half years, the Arizona Cardinals drafted Tillman in the seventh round. Tillman developed into a record-setting player in his time with the Cardinals, because of his 224 tackles during one season. With that season, Tillman earned himself a multi-million dollar offer from the St. Louis Rams. With millions of dollars just a signature away, many people thought that Tillman would become a St. Louis Ram. However, Tillman proved his loyalty by staying with the Cardinals while sacrificing his own wealth. Tillman had a long illustrious career ahead of him, complete with the perks of being a professional football player. Because of this, his decision of joining the army became a topic of conversation around the country. After some time in Iraq, Tillman got deployed to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Tillman became a victim of friendly fire on April 22, 2004. Pat Tillman worked hard to become one of the few men that get to play in the NFL. However, Pat Tillman made a decision to forget the money guaranteed in the NFL, and Tillman didn’t care that many other players questioned the decision.

(http://www.jonesreport.com/images/270707tillman2.jpg)

While a hero can be an everyday person, a quality that makes someone a hero, can be their willingness to be different. When a player gets their number retired, it means they are a special football player and a special player, which is why William Agnew thinks, “The NFL should permanently retire the number 40 in his honor, as no other player will ever deserve to wear it again. There is not a single player in the NFL who can even compare to him as a man, hero, and a role model “. As Agnew said, no players in the past or the present can compare to Pat Tillman, not only as a football player, but as a person. Tillman proved that he can’t be compared to by his actions off the field, by inspiring little children while giving them a positive celebrity to look up to. Tillman separated himself from many football players off the field, but he also started to stand out on the football field, “He evolved from college walk-on to Pac-10 defensive player of the year; from a seventh-round draft pick to an upper-echelon special teams player to a starting safety in the NFL”(McGinnis). Pat Tillman never got the consideration to be the kind of player who is guaranteed a spot on a team as soon as they are drafted. The Arizona Cardinals drafted Tillman in the seventh round, so he had to make a decision. Should he give up football and try something else, or continue playing to try and make the team? Tillman chose to try and pursue his football dreams with a small chance of making the team. Tillman’s decision paid off when the Arizona Cardinals selected him to play for them. These unique qualities made Pat Tillman evolve into a football player, while becoming a hero.

One of the qualities a hero must possess is the ability to overcome obstacles they face with determination. Pat Tillman heard many people tell him that he couldn’t play football in the NFL, because of his small size. “At 5' 10", 195 pounds, he was considered too small for a linebacker, the position he had played at Arizona State. But through determination and talent, Tillman became a star safety with the Cardinals and set the team record for tackles in a season (224) in 2000”(Friedman, Nichols, Carter, Shenolikar, and Labrecque). Even though he kept hearing that his size would keep him from playing football, Tillman didn’t succumb to the adversity. He used his determination to work harder than he had before, as a result, he conquered the obstacle. Not many people in the world had the determination that Tillman had. Pat Tillman had an attitude that wouldn’t let him stop working until he achieved his goal. "Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it can't be done"(Tillman qtd. in Smith). The way Pat Tillman thinks when faced with adversity is very impressive. He has the personality that thinks he can accomplish whatever he wants. So when he has to overcome an obstacle, nothing will overcome Pat Tillman’s determination. When a person doesn’t let adversity overcome them, and they attack obstacles with the idea that nothing will stop them from achieving their goal, they can strongly be considered as a hero.

Many young children watch football on Sundays, and the only thing they want to do in their life is to be like those players. Pat Tillman grew up to become one of the few kids who get to play football on national television. Earning millions of dollars and living a comfortable life with his wife, Tillman couldn’t do anything to make his life better. However, on September 11, 2001, Pat Tillman witnessed the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, which changed the rest of his life by showing him what the evil in the world can accomplish. A few months later Tillman sacrificed his multi-million dollar contract to join the military so he could protect his country. When Tillman watched the attacks, he wondered, who is going to do something about this? So, “In May 2002, Tillman made a decision many people call heroic: He gave up his $3.6-million contract to join the U.S. Army”( Friedman, Nichols, Carter, Shenolikar, and Labrecque ).This quote shows the wealth Tillman sacrificed for the good of his country. He gave luxury in his life and the style of life he had become accustomed to for the safety of his countrymen. Tillman was leaving the comforts of the NFL to join the army, where, “They put their lives at risk in the belief that some things are worth dying for, including our nation and the freedoms it offers all of us” (Zuckerman). This quote exemplifies what Pat Tillman wanted to do when he decided to join the army. He wanted to protect his country, and let America know what freedom feels like. Tillman knew he sacrificed a lot, but that is what heroes do.

As Andrew Bernstein said,” A hero is someone who not only knows that he will be faced with adversity, but someone who doesn’t let the obstacle overcome his determination.” Tillman became an inspiration when he developed into a star football player with the Arizona Cardinals, because of his hard work, and later because of the life he gave for the safety of his country. The three things that separate Pat Tillman from the everyday person are his uniqueness, determination, and his sacrifice. People that have those qualities will not be found every day, which gives Pat Tillman the right to have the title of a hero.