Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Trent Richardson Interviews Fellow Brown Brandon Weeden

Should Pat Tillman Be in the Hall of Fame?

ESPN's Johnette Howard writes an article discussing the merits or lack thereof regarding the movement to put former Cardinals safety Pat Tillman in the Hall of Fame. Tillman famously quit professional football to join the military and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

The last thing Tillman's story needs is another phony narrative about his life. A story such as his should need no embellishing. He enlisted because he wanted to help fight Osama bin Laden and terrorism. He was a hero, pure and simple, a millionaire athlete and deeply philosophical man who left the high school sweetheart he had just married and gave up his ascending NFL career at age 25 to become an elite Army Ranger shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001.

I am pretty firmly in Howard's camp on this one. The Hall of Fame for players is about what they do on the field. That is why Lawrence Taylor is in despite his off field issues. Tillman's sacrifice was far more than most would be willing to make. A lot of football players take part in humanitarian gestures, though. There have been other NFL players who have been part of the military. Adding Tillman to the Hall of Fame could not make him stand taller than his noble actions in life did.

Poll
Should Pat Tillman be in the Hall of Fame?
Yes
129 votes
No
246 votes

375 votes | Poll has closed

Comment 19 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

You know who would be against putting Pat Tillman in the Hall of Fame?

Pat Tillman.
Everything i’ve ever read about Tillman stated how he just wanted to be treated the same as everyone else. He hated that the media made his enlistment into the military and his becoming an Army Ranger seem more important than the other guys in his unit who had gone through the same training he had, and would experience the same fighting he would.

"Schotty... You Suck!" - Mark Sanchez

by jetsbill on Jul 8, 2011 9:39 AM EDT reply actions   1 recs

Good call.

But if they put him in the hall of fame, it shouldn’t be as a player. Put him in as an American citizen who happened to excel at football, which is how I bet he’d rather be remembered.

by psuwxman on Jul 8, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions  

There is an exhibit

At the hall that covers NFL players who have served during a time of war. It includes 3 CMOH winners from WWII. I think it would be a great place to add something on Pat Tillman, however, from everything i’ve read and seen, i think Pat Tillman would even be against this, as the other Rangers in his squad wouldn’t be included with him, and he didn’t see himself risking his life for his country as being any different from them doing the same thing. He just happened to be a football player before he was a Ranger.

"Schotty... You Suck!" - Mark Sanchez

by jetsbill on Jul 8, 2011 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions  

He could be put in as a contributor to the game like the Sabels

Their was a boom of people who started watching football after hearing of his heroics especially in Arizona. People like him always boost the public opinion of the NFL

by JetsFanMurphy on Jul 8, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions  

Pat Kirwin of NFL.com made a great point

A shrine, not a bust, should be dedicated to him in Canton.

by wetter67 on Jul 8, 2011 9:50 AM EDT reply actions  

All NFL players who fought and died for thier country should be in the shrine

Pat was no Hall of fame player but for sure a hall of fame person/citizen!

by Late for Dinner on Jul 8, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions  

Yes and No

there should be an exhibit about him, and what he gave to our country, but as a player he was just good not great and was not a HOFer.

by Judgegavel on Jul 8, 2011 10:16 AM EDT reply actions  

I think that's a great point

Editor-In-Chief
Gang Green Nation
SB Nation's Jets Blog
http://www.ganggreennation.com

by John B on Jul 8, 2011 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions  

This is good.

Darrelle Revis once won a game of Connect Four in three moves.

by bm01bath on Jul 8, 2011 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions  

No

The HOF is for great contributions to the game. While what Tillman did was noble and heroic, he didn’t contribute much to the NFL.

And it would open a can of worms that would make similar sacrifices HOF worthy. Do we take a guy who had a HOF trajectory to his career cut short by catastrophic injury or death? How about the avg player that quits to stay home with his cancer-ridden wife? Does the young coach get in for being killed in the next terrorist attack?

What Tilman did was patriotism without parallel. He received a ton of well-deserved national attention for it. But let’s not go overboard.

by Crackback on Jul 8, 2011 12:12 PM EDT via mobile reply actions   1 recs

He should be an Honorary member of HOF

Not a full blown HOF member, but that dude was a beast!!!!

by bllackkman on Jul 8, 2011 12:44 PM EDT reply actions  

Wasn't going to touch this one with a 20 foot pole

but frankly I think he should have an enshrinement or at least a memorial to his sacrifice at the HOF.

GGN Moderator, House pessimist, veteran arm chair GM.
www.GangGreenNation.com

by Bro Namath on Jul 8, 2011 2:55 PM EDT reply actions  

They really should dedicate an area of the hall to members who fought...

Here’s 2 more guys that should be honored….
Maurice Britt (Detroit Lions. Played 1 year (1941)
Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor for actions on November 10, 1943

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Disdaining enemy hand grenades and close-range machine pistol, machinegun, and rifle, Lieutenant Britt inspired and led a handful of his men in repelling a bitter counterattack by approximately 100 Germans against his company positions north of Mignano, Italy, the morning of 10 November 1943. During the intense fire fight, Lt. Britt’s canteen and field glasses were shattered; a bullet pierced his side; his chest, face, and hands were covered with grenade wounds. Despite his wounds, for which he refused to accept medical attention until ordered to do so by his battalion commander following the battle, he personally killed 5 and wounded an unknown number of Germans, wiped out one enemy machinegun crew, fired 5 clips of carbine and an undetermined amount of M1 rifle ammunition, and threw 32 fragmentation grenades. His bold, aggressive actions, utterly disregarding superior enemy numbers, resulted in capture of 4 Germans, 2 of them wounded, and enabled several captured Americans to escape. Lt. Britt’s undaunted courage and prowess in arms were largely responsible for repulsing a German counterattack which, if successful, would have isolated his battalion and destroyed his company.

Jack Lummus (New York Giants. Played 1 year (1941)
Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor for actions on March 8, 1945

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a Rifle Platoon attached to the 2d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945. Resuming his assault tactics with bold decision after fighting without respite for 2 days and nights, 1st Lt. Lummus slowly advanced his platoon against an enemy deeply entrenched in a network of mutually supporting positions. Suddenly halted by a terrific concentration of hostile fire, he unhesitatingly moved forward of his front lines in an effort to neutralize the Japanese position. Although knocked to the ground when an enemy grenade exploded close by, he immediately recovered himself and, again moving forward despite the intensified barrage, quickly located, attacked, and destroyed the occupied emplacement. Instantly taken under fire by the garrison of a supporting pillbox and further assailed by the slashing fury of hostile rifle fire, he fell under the impact of a second enemy grenade but, courageously disregarding painful shoulder wounds, staunchly continued his heroic 1-man assault and charged the second pillbox, annihilating all the occupants. Subsequently returning to his platoon position, he fearlessly traversed his lines under fire, encouraging his men to advance and directing the fire of supporting tanks against other stubbornly holding Japanese emplacements. Held up again by a devastating barrage, he again moved into the open, rushed a third heavily fortified installation and killed the defending troops. Determined to crush all resistance, he led his men indomitably, personally attacking foxholes and spider traps with his carbine and systematically reducing the fanatic opposition until, stepping on a land mine, he sustained fatal wounds. By his outstanding valor, skilled tactics, and tenacious perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, 1st Lt. Lummus had inspired his stouthearted marines to continue the relentless drive northward, thereby contributing materially to the success of his regimental mission. His dauntless leadership and unwavering devotion to duty throughout sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

"Schotty... You Suck!" - Mark Sanchez

by jetsbill on Jul 8, 2011 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions  

No.

I strongly recommend watching “The Tillman Story”, btw. I don’t think he would want to be in the Hall, or even have his number retired.

and the HOLMES of the... JETS!!!
Gang Green Nation.
David Vill on Twitter

by dvdvil on Jul 8, 2011 5:58 PM EDT reply actions  

God rest...

shame what happened to Till, hopefully people can become more aware through the unfortunateness of his death. Definitely deserves to be in College Hall of Fame, as he is.
What a good person, citizen, man… what a shame how we have allowed our GREAT country to be run by the rich exclusively. Rest in peace young man.

by M Cgreen on Jul 8, 2011 9:07 PM EDT reply actions  

If Tillman was added to the Hall of Fame...

…against his likely own desire, against the usual standard for football greatness, it would be because a sport which has modeled itself very heavily upon battlefield metaphors of “going to war” and “taking ground”, with players that wear “dog tags” as if soldiers, was acknowledging a debt to that analogy, the analogy that makes of football a sport like no other sport. It would be the NFL saying: “We are not warriors, though we play them on TV. This is a warrior.”

Occasionally what is real behind the values we appeal to as we play our games of “war” has to be acknowledged.

by ________key on Jul 9, 2011 1:20 AM EDT reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the New York Jets.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Rackmultipart
GGN Thread About Nothing #18 Enter Sandman
545595_428600250485671_100000070982458_1739202_129649609_n_1_small
5 players that i expect to see improvement from this year
P3733056reg_small
Why will Aaron Maybin get 10-20 sacks this season.
Small
Do You Trust The Jets' Front Office?
Small
Diggin Dunbar Diggin the 46

Recent FanPosts

P3733056reg_small
My Life as a New York Jets Fan.
Small
Conner can run
Small
Thoughts on the upcoming season part 1: What to watch for
Small
Thoughts On the Upcoming Season Part 2: The season
Small
Thoughts On the Upcoming Season Part 3: Cleaning House
Small
The Peyton-Goes-Down Debacle Prequel, and the Best QB Some of You Never Heard Of.

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Managing Editors

Gangreen-large_small John B

Great-british-events-flag_small David_Wyatt

Staff Writers

Revis_island_small Bro Namath

943_small dvdvil

Wayne_chrebet1_small GangGreenMag

Haters_small bobdolethesnapplelady

Santana_moss_small Jeff W.

Moderators

Revis_christ_small Judgegavel

Return_of_the_jet-i_small MachlinT

Jimmy2_small Tamarack

Rackmultipart rexthejet