... was selected with the 226th pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Normally, a player drafted 226th overall is just trying to compete for a roster spot, much less a multi-million dollar contract.

Tillman defied the odds and became a star in the NFL, accumulating 344 tackles over the first four years of his career. Things were looking ever-so bright for the local hero, but then tragedy struck.

September 11, 2001, was a date that changed the world as we knew it forever. This also happened to be Tillman’s contract year, and while most players would have their thoughts set on cashing in on a big contract, he had his mind elsewhere.

Tillman was offered a $3.6 million dollar contract by the Cardinals, a we...

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