Pat Tillman's widow has a very clear and strong message for Donald Trump in the aftermath of his "sons of bitches" comments.
Videos by FanBuzz
While continuing to stand his ground against national anthem protests, he shared a picture with Tillman's photo and the caption read:
"NFL player Pat Tillman joined U.S. Army in 2002. He was killed in action 2004. He fought 4our country/freedom. #StandForOurAnthem #BoycottNFL"
Tillman's widow released a statement on Trump sharing the photo later Monday night, per CNN:
"As a football player and soldier, Pat inspired countless Americans to unify," Marie said. "It is my hope that his memory should always remind people that we must come together."
"Pat's service, along with that of every man and woman's service, should never be politicized in a way that divides us. We are too great of a country for that," she wrote.
"Those that serve fight for the American ideals of freedom, justice and democracy," she wrote. "They and their families know the cost of that fight. I know the very personal costs in a way I feel acutely every day. The very action of self expression and the freedom to speak from one's heart — no matter those views — is what Pat and so many other Americans have given their lives for. Even if they didn't always agree with those views."
Tillman was an NFL player who gave up his Arizona Cardinals contract and became an Army Ranger in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. He was killed in the mountains of Afghanistan in what the Pentagon later determined was a friendly fire incident.
At an event on Friday evening, Trump discussed the protests as "disrespect," saying that he would love to see an NFL owner "get that son of a bitch off the field."
https://twitter.com/nick_ramsey/status/911391835888726017
Trump: Wouldn’t you love one of the NFL owners when someone disrespects our flag, "get that son of a bitch off the field right now"
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) September 23, 2017
The full quote from Trump:
"Wouldn't you love one of these NFL owners... when someone disrespects our flag say, "Get that son of a bitch off the field, right now, out, he's fired."
The live crowd applauded the comments from the President.
Trump also referenced NFL ratings, which are down so far this year, and blamed the drop on the protests negatively affecting the game.
Trump's comments caused a firestorm of reactions in the NFL and NBA, where players, coaches and owners protested.
