Mother of Pat Tillman Slams ESPN for Giving Prince Harry ESPY Award Named After Her Son: ‘I Am Shocked’

Sunday Alamba/AP

The mother of late U.S. soldier and football player Pat Tillman called out ESPN for giving an ESPY Award named after her son to Prince Harry.

Last week, ESPN announced several honorary awards that will be given at the 2024 ESPYs on July 11. Included in that announcement was Prince Harry, Duke of Essex, who will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service. He was chosen for the award for his work with the Invictus Games, a Paralympics-style competition for wounded veterans that he founded in 2014.

In a report from Daily Mail, Mary Tillman said she was “shocked” ESPN chose Prince Harry.

“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” Mary said. “There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.

“These individuals do not have the money, resources, connections or privilege that Prince Harry has. I feel that those types of individuals should be recognized.”

Pat was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 226th pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played just four seasons in the NFL before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2002 following the September 11 attacks. He was killed two years later during a deployment in Afghanistan. While the Army initially said Pat died as a result of an ambush, an investigation later revealed he was killed by friendly fire.

“It’s incredibly hurtful that the family had no say in this,” another source told Daily Mail. “Pat Tillman was a unifying force for good. Harry is divisive… There are many unsung heroes who are far more deserving.”