The Worth of the Field

In the spring of 2002, Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman sat across from team officials who offered him a $3.6 million contract extension. By any measure, it was everything a young man from San Jose could want — fame, security, and the chance to play the game he loved at the highest level.

He turned it down.

Eight months after September 11, Tillman enlisted in the U.S. Army alongside his brother Kevin. He walked away from the bright lights of the NFL to serve in the shadows of Afghanistan. He declined every interview request. He wanted no recognition for the sacrifice — only to give what he believed the moment required.

On April 22, 2004, Pat Tillman was killed in Kunar Province. He was 27 years old.