Prince Harry Accepts Tillman Award, Mentions Tillman's Mom

UPDATE Jul 12, 2024 12:30 AM CDT

Prince Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service on Thursday night at the ESPY Awards, and mentioned the mother of the NFL player turned soldier who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. Mary Tillman was among those who criticized ESPN's choice of honoree, and in his acceptance speech, Harry acknowledged her, the AP reports. "Her advocacy for Pat's legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect," he said. "The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses." He also thanked Tillman's widow, Marie, for attending the ceremony.

Jul 1, 2024 1:00 AM CDT

ESPN announced last week that this year's recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service will be Prince Harry. Fox News reacted thusly: "If you're confused, you're not alone." Tillman was the former NFL player who turned down millions to leave the sport and enlist in the Army after the September 11 terrorist attacks. He was killed by friendly fire amid combat in Afghanistan in 2004, and the award in his honor was established 10 years later. The British royal was named as this year's honoree due to his work in founding the Invictus Games for veterans, but some were still pushing back on the choice.

• Tillman's mother spoke to the Daily Mail, telling the British tabloid, "I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual." She pointed to other people working to assist veterans as a more "fitting" choice, and said she believes people who "do not have the money, resources, connections, or privilege that Prince Harry has" should be the ones honored by the award.

• Sports analyst and former NFL player Pat McAfee criticized the choice on his show, the Mirror reports. McAfee's co-host called the move "probably the most embarrassing thing I've seen in my entire life," and another member of the show's team called the whole thing a "gimmick." "There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of people who they could have found who could have benefited from this award. But instead let's give it to Prince Harry," he said.
• A retired military officer tells the Sun the award is just "celebrities massaging each other's egos." "I can think of many people who did pretty extraordinary things while serving in the British and American armed forces which would be much more deserving of an award like this," he says.
• A petition has been launched urging ESPN to reconsider its choice.

(More Pat Tillman stories.)