The Pat Tillman Award for Service is a prestigious honor that recognizes individuals who exemplify character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service. The award is named after Pat Tillman, a former NFL player who left his football career to serve in the U.S. Army following the September 11 attacks. The first Pat Tillman Award was presented in 2005 to Morgan Scalley.
Pat Tillman was an accomplished athlete, known for his time with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. He was drafted out of Arizona State University, where he was celebrated as a standout player. In his four seasons in the NFL, he played 60 games, recorded 374 combined assists and three interceptions. However, after the tragic events of 9/11, Tillman made the extraordinary decision to leave behind a lucrative football career to enlist in the Army. He served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before his untimely death in 2004, which garnered national attention and highlighted his commitment to service over self-interest.
List of Pat Tillman Award winners
According to Shrine Bowl's official website, the following are the winners of the Pat Tillman Awards, as of 2024:
| Year | Player | Pos. | College |
| 2005 | Morgan Scalley | S | Utah |
| 2006 | Charlie Peprah | S | Alabama |
| 2007 | Kyle Shotwell | LB | Cal Poly |
| 2008 | Justin Tryon | CB | Arizona State |
| 2009 | Collin Mooney | FB | Army |
| 2010 | Mike McLaughlin | LB | Boston College |
| 2011 | Josh McNary | LB | Army |
| 2012 | Tauren Poole | RB | Tennessee |
| 2013 | Keith Pough | LB | Howard |
| 2014 | Gabe Ikard | C | Oklahoma |
| 2015 | Jake Ryan | LB | Michigan |
| 2016 | Keenan Reynolds | QB | Navy |
| 2017 | Weston Steelhammer | S | Air Force |
| 2018 | J. T. Barrett | QB | Ohio State |
| 2019 | Cody Barton | LB | Utah |
| 2020 | James Morgan | QB | FIU |
| 2022 | Jack Coan | QB | Notre Dame |
| 2023 | Derek Parish | DE | Houston |
| 2024 | Trey Taylor | S | Air Force |
FAQ on Pat Tillman Award
A. The East-West Shrine Bowl Pat Tillman Award is presented to a player who best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service.
A. Pat Tillman was a football player who left the National Football League to enlist in the military following the September 11 attacks. He lost his life during a combat mission in Afghanistan.
A. According to Shrine Bowl's official website, J.T. Barrett of Ohio State won the 2018 Pat Tillman Award.
