ESPN to honor Prince Harry with Pat Tillman Award, even though late soldier’s mother disagrees

Prince Harry, left, will be honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the July 11 ESPYs. ESPN is standing by its decision to honor Prince Harry with its Pat Tillman Award for Service at next week’s ESPYs after the choice was publicly criticized by Tillman’s mother, network personality Pat McAfee and others. “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,” the network said in a statement emailed to The Times on Monday. In a news release Thursday, ESPN said the award is “a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman.” Last year’s honoree was the Buffalo Bills training staff for its life-saving efforts after safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2, 2023, “Monday Night Football” game. The release pointed to Harry’s 10 years of service in the British Armed Forces, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and his founding of the Invictus Games Foundation, which has created “an international platform to support wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women — both active-duty and veterans — who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries” the release stated.