The mother of the late Pat Tillman is not too happy about the decision to honor Prince Harry with the late NFL player and military servicemember’s award at the 2024 ESPY Awards.
Following ESPN’s announcement that the royal was going to be this year’s recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service, Tillman’s mother admitted to being taken aback by the news.
“I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” Mary “Dannie” Tillman told The Daily Mail. “There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.”
Mary then stated, “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,” she said.
Prince Harry previously served in the British Army for a decade. He is being recognized for his work with the Invictus Games, which is an international sporting event for wounded servicemen and women.
The royal launched the Invictus Games in 2014. The next Invictus Games is set to take place in Düsseldorf, Germany on July 26 to 28. “The Invictus Games Foundation offers a recovery pathway for international wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women (WIS),” the event’s website states.
Speaking about being the recipient of this year’s Pat Tillman Award for Service, Prince Harry told PEOPLE, “This one is for our entire service community.”
Harry is also planning to attend the first-ever Winter Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada next year. Serena William, a close friend of the prince, and his wife Meghan Markle will be hosting the ESPYS. The event will take place on July 11.
Pat McAfee Roasts Decision to Make Prince Harry Pat Tillman Award Recipient
Following the news that Prince Harry will be this year’s Pat Tillman Award for Service recipient, Pat McAfee had some harsh words about ESPN’s decision.
“A lot of conversation about Pat Tillman’s name,” McAfee said. “American hero… Now there’s an award named after him, as there should be in the sports world because that is somebody who is the definition of selfless.”
The former NFL star then took a dig at Harry. “It’s going to Prince Harry, who I don’t even think is a prince anymore… He said, don’t call me that. See, why does the ESPYS do this s—?”
Boston Connor, one of the members of Pat McAfee’s show, described the decision to award Prince Harry with the Pat Tillman award as “probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve seen in my entire life.”
‘When you do something like this, you know the immediate reaction from humans and sports fans and like people with common sense,” McAfee then continued. “And brains are going to be like ”Hey, don’t be putting our f—ing guy with that guy.’”
McAfee then added that he didn’t know much about Prince Harry. However, what he knows is through South Park episode and The Crown. ‘But like did his people know like ”you publicly put me up for this award. You’re just asking basically every person that considers themselves American and saying this is bull—. Especially at a sports award type of thing… I assume he knew that. They didn’t expect that?’