http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...lman23-ON.html

Pat initially gave up a 10 million dollar contract so he could stay in Phoenix making quite a bit less, then when everything happened he and his brother both joined up. They refused any special treatment, he trained with the regular army, then special forces and became an Army Ranger.

Pat Tillman, the former Arizona Cardinals safety who left football to become an Army Ranger, was killed in southeastern Afghanistan, according to published reports.

Tillman, who attended Arizona State University, returned from his honeymoon in 2002 having decided to give up his seven-figure NFL salary to join the Army with his brother.

He was with the Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, where U.S. forces have been trying to chase down Osama bin Laden and members of his al-Qaida terrorist group. During major combat in war with Iraq, Tillman was reportedly stationed with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in northern Iraq.

The Army has refused to confirm Tillman's death. He was 27.



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Tillman and his younger brother, Kevin, enlisted together in May 2002, and Pat Tillman reportedly had hopes of resuming his NFL career after the three-year commitment.

"This is very serious with Pat," said then Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis. "It's not just a snap decision. You're not dealing with a guy who's real shallow. You're dealing with a guy whose waters run pretty deep."

McGinnis said at the time that the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks probably played a part in Tillman's decision.

"He said there were some personal reasons he didn't want to divulge to me," McGinnis said, "and I didn't press him on it. I respect his decision. I think it's honorable."

He made known his decision to the team two weeks after getting married and returning from his honeymoon in Bora Bora.

A seventh-round pick out of ASU in 1998, Tillman was a starter in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons.

Tillman has always marched to his own beat. Upon entering ASU, he told coach Bruce Snyder that he was not redshirting, that he had a life to pursue after four ears of college. He graduated in 3 1/2 years with a degree in marketing and a 3.84 grade-point average.

"Once he decides to do something and accomplishes it, he really likes to do more," Snyder said in 2002. "The normal routine just kills him."

In 2001, he declined to pursue a five-year, $9 million offer from the St. Louis Rams because he felt loyalty to the Cardinals' coaches, who had taken a chance on him.

As a rookie trying to make the team, Tillman rode a bicycle to the team's Tempe facility each day because he didn't own a car. And he refused to use a cellphone.

Tillman grew antsy in the off-seasons and wasn't content unless he was accomplishing something. In 2000, he ran a marathon. And the following year, he completed a triathlon.