1: Vault: The story of Pat Tillman, NFL player to military man

Summary

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The Bert Show: Vault — The Story of Pat Tillman, NFL Player to Military Man

Date: May 14, 2026
Podcast: The Bert Show
Episode: 1
Primary Hosts: Bert, Show Cast (Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, et al.)

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Episode Overview

In honor of Veterans Day, The Bert Show devotes this episode to exploring the legacy of Pat Tillman, the NFL player who gave up fame and fortune to serve in the military after 9/11, ultimately losing his life in Afghanistan. Through discussion and clips from a recent ESPN segment featuring Pat Tillman’s wife, the hosts reflect on the sacrifices made by military members and their families, the controversies surrounding Tillman's death, and the meaning of service. The episode also features moving caller contributions and an honest, thoughtful conversation on what Veterans Day represents today.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rethinking Veterans Day

[00:58 – 01:59]

• The hosts open with the changing perception of Veterans Day: once seen as a holiday for "old people," now much more relevant as ongoing conflicts mean veterans span all ages.
• They discuss the general criteria for being considered a veteran, noting common misconceptions about needing to have served in combat.

Notable Quote:

"Veterans Day just felt like a day to honor old people... But now that we are in wartime, it's from 18 years old all the way up is a veteran." (Host, 01:10)

2. Pat Tillman’s Story — A Modern Sacrifice

[01:59 – 06:17]

• The hosts introduce Pat Tillman’s journey: a successful NFL player who gave up his career post-9/11 to join the Army Rangers.
• They share clips from ESPN, focusing on insights from Tillman’s wife, Marie, describing his personality, motivations, and the family's journey.

Notable Moments & Quotes:

• On Pat's motivation and drive:

  "He was a very intense and thoughtful person...in the off-season would be bored, so he would do triathlons or marathons." (Pat Tillman's Wife, 03:33)

• Pat’s own words about service:

  "My great grandfather was at Pearl Harbor...I really haven't done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that." (Pat Tillman, 04:20)

• On his decision:

  "He could have continued to play in the NFL and make a million dollars a year, but he decides, no, that's not for me." (Host, 04:52)

• On the controversy:

  "He was killed in friendly fire. And the military never quite came clean on that whole thing. And that's where the controversy begins." (Host, 04:58)

3. Military Families & the Cost of Service

[06:17 – 11:21]

• The hosts underscore the often-unseen sacrifices made by military families, guided by Marie Tillman’s perspective.
• Discussion with callers brings different experiences: children of active duty, veterans, and those with long-serving family members.
• The emotional toll as well as the sense of pride experienced by families is highlighted.

Notable Quote:

"My dad's currently deployed to Afghanistan right now...most people don't recognize that the military family serves too." (Caller Aaron, 10:21)

4. The Need for Wider Respect and Recognition

[06:43 – 09:48]

• Callers and hosts debate whether Veterans Day receives due respect, compared with other national holidays.
• Some express disappointment that schools and many businesses do not close, feeling it diminishes the recognition veterans deserve.
• Hosts urge reflection without comparing or diminishing other holidays.

Memorable Moment:

"The military covers so many people, so many generations, and I don't think that they're celebrated the way they should be." (Caller Mike, 07:30)

• On the purpose of the military:

  "Isn't that the irony of the whole thing? That's a tough life for a lot of military families...they come back here and they're supposed to come back to this life that's just supposed to...life goes on." (Host, 11:21)

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Pat Tillman's Wife on Pat’s Character:

  "He was a very intense and thoughtful person...he was working towards getting his master's in history. So he was pretty intense." (03:33)

• Pat Tillman’s Motivation:

  "I really haven't done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that." (04:21)

• On Service & Sacrifice:

  "For me, in dealing with his death...I have channeled it into the foundation and I am really focused on our military veterans and their families." (Pat Tillman's Wife, 05:31)

• Caller Mike on Veterans Day Respect:

  "It should be a national holiday...the military covers so many people, so many generations, and I don't think that they're celebrated the way they should be." (07:30)

• Host Reflection:

  "Without the military...protecting our freedoms, there is no opportunity for a Martin Luther King Day. There is no opportunity for a President's Day or anything like that without the military." (09:02)

• Caller Aaron on Military Families:

  "Most people don't recognize that the military family serves too." (10:21)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• What is a Veteran? (01:34 – 01:59)
• Pat Tillman’s Story – ESPN Clips (03:26 – 06:04)
• Friendly Fire Controversy & Legacy (04:58 – 06:17)
• Callers on What Veterans Day Means (06:43 – 09:48)
• Military Family Experiences (10:21 – 11:21)

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Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is respectful, reflective, and authentic, maintaining the Bert Show’s signature conversational style. Hosts and callers alike share personal insights and heartfelt appreciation for those who serve, with special emphasis on the broader impact of military service — not just on the individuals, but on their families and society at large.

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Episode Takeaways

• Pat Tillman’s life and selfless decision highlight the personal sacrifices that come with service, both for military members and those they leave behind.
• The importance of recognizing and honoring veterans of all kinds — not just on Veterans Day, but year-round.
• A reminder that families serve too, often bearing a quiet burden of separation and anxiety.
• Call for greater national recognition and respect for military service, but a consensus that more reflection — not less — would serve society well.

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“Today, it's about sacrifice.” (Host, 12:01)

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Transcript

[Weight Watchers Announcer]

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[Host]

AJCN, the Birch Show. Today is Veterans Day. And you know, we were saying before that, you know, like back in the day, Veterans Day just felt like an old a day to honor old people.

[Co-host]

Well, because the major conflicts, you know, some weren't even called wars, you know, kind of ended in the early 70s, up until the Gulf War, you know, so for a long time there, there was no wars and no true, you know, battle veterans except your parents or your grandparents. And so it did seem like an old person's war. But now that we are in wartime, then, I mean, it's from 18 years old all the way up is a veteran.

[Host]

And this is anybody that fights in a war, I mean, is considered a veteran. If you're in the military, you are a veteran. You know, I mean, Joanna's boyfriend Jason, has he seen action and come back? I don't want to answer that because he's like Special Forces.

[Co-host]

So the definition is that you have to have served overseas or in combat,

been in combat, seen combat, is my assumption. It's always been my assumption.

[Host]

I think mine too. So yesterday I'm watching ESPN and I'm not exactly sure that this is gonna print, but I think maybe it will. You guys know the story of Pat Tillman, right? Mm. Pat Tillman was a football player that played for the Arizona Cardinals. And after 9 11, at least the legend was that he was so upset on what happened at 911 that he decided to give up this sort of kush life that he had in the NFL and go and fight for the Military go to Iraq, where he lost his life. I was watching ESPN yesterday and they had a new piece on sort of this old story. It's the first time that his wife has come out and talked about Pat Tillman and talked about all the details that led him up to going to war.

[Co-host]

There's a new book out because Cage is reading it now, a new book out depicting all not only from his career in football, from a young age, all the way up into his death and what followed his death. So that may be another reason why she may be getting a lot of questions now, because this book is out

and it was friendly fire.

Yeah.

[Host]

And the military tried to hide that for a while, which we'll talk about here in these. In these pieces. But as I was watching it, I thought, you know, there's a lot of stuff in here if you just take Pat Tillman's name out of it and you just listen to the words of the wife. I think there's a lot of stuff to learn here about military families and what they have to go through on a day to day, and I hope it's still in this story. So this was on ESPN yesterday, and we'll play it in two parts, and they're not very long, but. But I still think it's very appropriate for Veterans Day.

[Narrator]

As Pat Tillman was inscribing the remarkable arc of his life into American history, his wife, Marie, was his soulmate.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

He was a very intense and thoughtful person, and, you know, he was the type of person who in the off season would be bored, so he would do triathlons or marathons, and he was working towards getting his master's in history. So he was pretty intense.

[Narrator]

He could have accepted a big offer from the Rams prior to the 2001 season, but instead he took a smaller deal to remain with the team that had drafted him.

[Caller]

Today, our fellow citizens, our way of

[Host]

life, our very freedom, came under attack.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

It was a Tuesday, which is their day off, so he certainly, you know, stayed and watched a lot of the coverage.

[Narrator]

On September 12, 2001, Pat was asked about the meaning of the US flag.

[Caller]

My great grandfather was at Pearl harbor, and a lot of my family has

[Host]

given up, you know, has gone and

[Caller]

fought in wars, and I really haven't done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line like that.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

I don't think that September 11 changed him necessarily, but the circumstances of what was going on in this country changed so much that he reacted to that.

[Narrator]

Pat Tillman enlisted in the Army Rangers, along with his Brother Kevin reporting for duty. On July 8, 2002, Pat Tillman was killed in action. He was 27 years old, so he

[Host]

could have continued to play in the NFL and make a million dollars a year, but he decides, no, that's not for me. My grandfather served, my dad served, and I gotta do something about it. And like Jen said, he was killed in friendly fire. And the military never quite came clean on that whole thing. And that's where the controversy begins.

[Narrator]

Pat Tillman had been killed by friendly fire.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

It was about a month after he had been killed, so I was still sort of in a numb place.

[Narrator]

It took years. But moment by moment, details of Pat's death did emerge, along with evidence that the army and the US Government had participated in a cover up after his death.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

For me, in dealing with his death and sort of my grief process, I have channeled it into the foundation and I am really focused on our military veterans and their families and working on that.

[Narrator]

Since late 2004, the Pat Tillman foundation has offered scholarships to foster a spirit of public service and leadership in action. This year, the foundation is providing $642,000 to 52 military scholars.

[Pat Tillman's Wife]

This spirit of service and of giving back is something. It's a way that Pat lives his life. So it's in that way they're helping to further his legacy.

[Host]

As I was watching that yesterday, I thought it was just really sort of kind of a. It's just kind of a snapshot. You don't have to be an NFL player. Could be a. There's a lot of people that had bright college futures that decided to give that up to serve also. But that story gives you just a little peek into the sacrifices that both are made by, by those that enlist and those in the family also that you don't think of except on days like this. Hey, Mike, good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hey, good morning. How's you guys doing?

[Host]

Good. How are you?

[Caller]

Good. Hey, I just want to let you know, a veteran is a veteran. Is anybody that served in the military not necessarily someone that has seen action, that's just a combat veteran. Okay, so just Veterans Day as anybody that has served in the military.

[Host]

Gotcha. Are you a veteran?

[Caller]

I am. I served in the marine Corps in 1992-1996.

[Co-host]

Thank you.

[Host]

Thank you. I had a thought this morning. Do you feel disrespected at all in the fact that schools, like public schools are in today? It's not sort of a national holiday. Is there any way she.

[Caller]

I'm Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.

[Host]

No, go ahead. I think I made my point. It's just like I thought, like, on a day like this, it should be sort of a day everybody should have the day off.

[Caller]

Yeah, actually I am, you know, because, you know, we don't celebrate. We don't really have a day off for President's Day anymore like we used to. It used to be George Washington's birthday. Now it's just President's Day. And I do feel that the military is not respected the way they should be. It should be a national holiday. And you know, I don't want to get anything started, but there's other holidays that are celebrated at the national holiday. The banks are closed, schools are out, whatever. And you know, that's for one particular person. And the military covers so many people, so many generations, and I don't think that they're celebrated the way they should be.

[Host]

Yeah, I had the same thought this morning. I was thumbing through the AJC and it gives you a list of the things that are open and the things that are closed. And I was really surprised by how much stuff is open today.

[Weight Watchers Announcer]

The only things closed are post office and banks.

[Caller]

Really? Yeah. I just feel like as a whole, you know, the military is never really looked at as a part of society except for this one day a year now. For me, you know, I started celebrating yesterday because it was the Marine Corps birthday yesterday. So I celebrated yesterday. And just getting the whole thing started. When I say celebration, it's not like we had a big party or anything, but just talking to some old friends that I served with that I don't see now because we live in different states, but we keep up with each other on Facebook or MySpace or whatever. So we started talking to each other yesterday about the whole situation.

[Host]

Yeah, without. I just had this thought and it was a fleeting one this morning. Like without the military then and protecting our freedoms then there is no opportunity for a Martin Luther King Day. There is no opportunity for a President's Day or anything like that without the military.

[Co-host]

Well, what I was gonna say is I don't think that it's necessary to compare holidays, saying we should have one without the other. I don't think it hurts us to have an additional day to reflect on, cuz that's what the holiday is for. Memorial Day, you're supposed to reflect, you know, Labor Day, you're reflecting, you know, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you're supposed to be reflective of what that time in history was about and. And Reflective for the meaning. So what? Why can't we just have an additional day of reflection for Veterans Day? I don't think you have to compare and take a one holiday away. That seems silly trait.

[Host]

Hey, Mandy. Good morning.

[Caller]

Hey, how are you?

[Host]

Good, how are you doing?

[Caller]

Fine. Hey. My father actually was his official retirement day from the army on 29th October and he served 47 years in the army after graduation from West Point. That's one of 1500 men and women to actually serve more than 45 years.

[Weight Watchers Announcer]

Wow, good for him.

[Co-host]

Congratulations.

Yes. Tell him thank you.

[Host]

That is really some feet right there, man. Hey, Aaron, good Morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Hi, good morning. I just wanted to say thank you because I mean here lately they have. But most people don't recognize that the military family serves two. And my dad's currently deployed to Afghanistan right now.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Co-host]

I just, I think that, I think historically, I mean, I think as human beings, unless we're personally involved, we don't think about it. And I think there used to be a time when every single man served in the military. So it wasn't. You couldn't get away from it. Every single guy was a vet. And you know, we don't have a draft enlisted. It is still volunteer based. And so that's why now you don't have every single man and woman being in the military. So I think, I'm not justifying it, but I do think it's human nature. Unless you're a daughter or a son or a wife or sister or family member of a military person or you won yourself, you're not thinking about it on a daily basis except for days like this. So it is important to have this day so everybody can remember and think about it. But I, you know, I can see why there are those that don't think about it. And that's the point of the military is so people don't have to worry about it.

[Host]

Right. You know, isn't that the irony of the whole thing? That's a tough life. That's a tough life for a lot of military families. You know, dad goes away or mom goes away or husband or wife goes away for six months, they protect the country and then they come back here and they're supposed to come back to this life that's just supposed to, you know, life goes on and it's very, very difficult for the whole family to adjust when they get back. You know, it's a sacrifice for the whole family anyway, so I guess it is. Happy Veterans Day. Although it sounds strange, sounds weird to say happy.

[Co-host]

Well, congratulations to all the veterans because not everybody military person is having a rough time. So it is happy Veterans Day. And everybody you know should be proud of their involvement in any branch of the military. And you know, and you're honored.

[Host]

Today it's about sacrifice.

[Caller]

The Bird Show.

[Weight Watchers Announcer]

When it comes to weight loss, you don't need more advice. You need more of what works. That's Weight Watchers designed for one thing. Better weight loss results. With real coaches who show up week after week and host workshops and Q&As on a schedule that works for you. And real tools designed to take the guesswork out of what to eat, how to move and how to build habits that actually last. Because real results don't just come from more advice. They come from the support to follow through. That's why Weight Watchers Core plus members lose three and a half times more weight than people who do it on their own. Get more of what works with Weight Watchers Core Plus. More tools, more support, more personalization. More of what actually works. Get started today at weightwatchers.

[Caller]

Com.

[Weight Watchers Announcer]

In a six month clinical trial of over 370 people, those using Weight Watchers saw significantly better results than those following standard nutritional advice alone. See the2025 study published in the AJCN.