Pat Tillman. (Image via @DM3BIB/Twitter)

Did Pat Tillman die from friendly fire? Super Bowl 57 segment sparks outrage online

Modified Feb 13, 2023 07:39 GMT

Late American footballer Pat Tillman's segment shown at Super Bowl 57 has sparked controversy online.

On Sunday, February 12, fans were excited for the match between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. However, the final bit of pregame time was set aside to honor captains who were the recipients of scholarships from the Pat Tillman Foundation.

Zakk

@ZelephantMan98

I'm SO happy to see that Pat Tillman still gets talked about in the biggest game of the season! RIP Hero!!

Before this, the stadium audience and those present at home were shown a video of Tillman where he was showcased as a patriot who gave up his promising NFL career to join the US military after the 9/11 attacks.

The footage introduced him as someone who "died in the line of duty," and had a narration by Kevin Costner. Reportedly, he was killed by friendly fire in 2004.

The video tribute did not sit right with several Super Bowl fans who called out the Champions League for not telling Tillman's real story of his ideologies and death.

"Get this off the screen": Twitter reactions to Pat Tillman's segment on Super Bowl

After Pat Tillman's segment was shown during the Super Bowl pregame segment, netizens were clearly upset. Several users slammed the Champions League for not showcasing his real story and instead presenting him as someone who gave up his NFL career to serve his country.

SealedAndSingles on ebay

@RetailRipping

Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire, and there’s evidence that he may have been murdered. RIP Pat.

Katherine Krueger

@kath_krueger

ah i see we’re kicking things off with a revisionist Pat Tillman 9/11 thing

FACTUAL OPINIONS OF DRED (Habitual Line Stepper)

@FACTUALOPINION0

The fact that Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire is not highlighted

Alex

@yung_mung

What they choose to forget about the Pat Tillman case

Colm

@ColeyMick

Tell the real story about Tillman or get this off the screen

The Pumpkin King

@uhhslimbo

The US military paying for a Super Bowl ad about Pat Tillman

James Ray ☭

@GoodVibePolitik

Just a reminder that Pat Tillman, the man in the ad the NFL just opened the Super Bowl up with, was shot in the head by his own men in an intentional friendly fire incident after he became openly critical of U.S. war efforts (particularly in Iraq).

Jay Willis

@jaywillis

Obviously the Army killing Pat Tillman and covering it up afterwards is the worst thing the U.S. military did to him, but the years they’ve spent rolling out his portrait backed by some inspirational music as a recruiting tool is a surprisingly close second

kellen heniford

@hellenkeniford

losing my mind at the NFL referring to pat tillman's "dying in the line of duty"

ok but how did he die though???? any specifics that seem worth mentioning???

Daniel P. Cotter 🇱🇧🇮🇹

@mdcotter30

@jaywillis Yea it’s beyond obscene how they keep using this trope

Scott

@ArchAtLast

@jaywillis Fake patriotism as manufactured emotionalism

debbie 🏒⚾️🏈

@DebMor16

@jaywillis @WoooooTheReds My jaw actually dropped! Bless him and it’s a shame that got swept under the rug.

audra2

@Audra213Audra2

@jaywillis Right it was really bad today. They used Kevin Costner to erase Tillman’s history. He was killed by friendly fire. Disrespectful to his family too who fought to get the truth of his death.

As of writing, Super Bowl has not addressed the controversy over Tillman.

Pat Tillman was against the Iraqi War

Born on November 6, 1976, Pat Tillman was a native of San Jose, California. He had two siblings and had always been a natural athlete. He played football championships during his high school years, which earned him a scholarship to Arizona State University.

In 1997, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) after he led his team through an undefeated season. A year later, he was drafted into the NFL by the Arizona Cardinals and he became a famed player.

Ohio Comrade

@ohio_comrade

Unreal that they're still "honoring" Pat Tillman at every Super Bowl

However, after the 9/11 attacks, things changed for Tillman and he joined the US Army in May 2002, famously turning down a contract for three years worth $3.6 million from the Cardinals. He and his brother trained and were deployed to Iraq in 2003.

As per All That’s Interesting, Pat Tillman was not in favor of the Iraq War. He had prepared to be deployed to Afghanistan but was not happy when that changed to a different country.

Tillman had wanted to fight Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden but George Bush's government had changed its plans to track down Saddam Hussein and his alleged weapons. As per Defactor, he also described the invasion as "all bulls**t" and had even planned on meeting Noam Chomsky, the antiwar intellectual.

Dave Myers

@DM3BIB

RIP to Pat Tillman.

A real hero who gave up everything for his country.

He was reportedly killed by friendly fire on April 22, 2004, while deployed in Afghanistan. He was shot three times in his head by his co-soldiers, but the military reportedly made up a false story that he was killed during an ambush in southeastern Afghanistan.

It was only a month after his death that the Army announced the shocking news.

Edited by
Prem Deshpande