ESPN Responds to Backlash Over Prince Harry Being Named the Recipient of the Pat Tillman Award at the ESPYs—Including Complaints from Tillman’s Mother Over Harry's Selection

It was announced recently that, at the ESPY Awards on July 11, Prince Harry will be honored with this year’s Pat Tillman Award for Service, given annually to “a person with a strong connection to sports” and named in honor of Tillman, a former NFL player turned U.S. Army Ranger who died in 2004 in Afghanistan as a result of friendly fire; he was just 27 years old. Tillman left a career in football to serve his country after the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, and, after his death, Tillman won both a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his service posthumously. 

Harry—who created the Invictus Games 10 years ago to help wounded, sick, and injured servicemen and servicewomen, both veterans and those still actively serving, find community through sport—was chosen for the award named in Tillman’s honor because of “his tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport.”

But not everyone was on board with the Duke of Sussex receiving this award, including Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, who said in an interview with The Daily Mail “I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award,” she said, adding that she has no hand in approving the honorees and thinks there are “far more fitting” people to win the award. “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.”

ESPN defended its choice of Harry in a statement to TMZ Sports, telling the outlet “ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of The Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world,” a representative for the network said in a statement. “While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work, and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating.”

Per The Independent, the Invictus Games thanked the ESPYs for honoring Harry and the foundation’s “work to support the rehabilitation of the international wounded, injured, or sick service community”; Harry himself said, according to People, “This one is for our entire service community.” 

In addition to founding the Invictus Games in 2014, Harry is also a 10-year veteran of the British Army, and served two tours in Afghanistan. And past recipients of the Pat Tillman Award are speaking out in defense of Harry’s selection, like Jake Wood, who won the award in 2018; he told TMZ today that Harry is “a natural fit” and a “good choice” for the award, and that Harry’s work with veterans, per Us Weekly, “should be commended” because “there are hundreds of different ways a British royal could live his life.”

Israel Del Toro Jr., who received the Tillman Award in 2017, also added his support, saying that Harry’s work with veterans makes him a “worthy recipient” of the honor. Del Toro actually competed in the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014, and won a gold medal in shot put at the event two years later, Us Weekly reports. 

Meghan Markle is rumored to be attending the ESPYs, which will be held in L.A. and hosted by her longtime friend Serena Williams. The awards will air on July 11 at 8 p.m. on ABC.