By Darin 
November 6, 1976 – Fremont, California – Another great player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010 was born on this day as well. Pat Tillman, who played as an LB at Arizona State University, secured the last remaining scholarship for the ASU team in 1994. Tillman excelled as a linebacker at Arizona State, despite being relatively small for the position at 5 ft 11 in.
After the 1997 season, Pat was voted the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, named Arizona State’s MVP, and finished his collegiate career with 230 tackles. The NFF goes on to tell us that the Arizona Cardinals drafted Tillman as a safety in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Pat spent four seasons with the Cards before being inspired to join the U.S. Army. Tillman, a U.S. Army Ranger, served tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 before he was tragically killed. Tillman was posthumously honored with the NFF’s Distinguished American Award in 2006. The Pat Tillman Foundation was established in his name to promote scholarship, the spirit of community service, and support veterans, active service members, and their dependents.
Football Accolades and Accomplishments
- Arizona State University (ASU): Despite his size, Tillman excelled at linebacker, finishing his collegiate career with 230 tackles.
- 1997 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year: Pat Tillman was voted the top defensive player in the conference following the 1997 season.
- Arizona State MVP: He was named the Most Valuable Player for the Arizona State team after the 1997 season.
- 1998 NFL Draft: Tillman was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as a safety.
- Post-Football Honors: He was posthumously honored with the National Football Foundation’s (NFF) Distinguished American Award in 2006.
- College Football Hall of Fame: Pat Tillman was inducted in 2010, recognizing his exceptional collegiate career.