Prince Harry is set to receive the prestigious Pat Tillman Award at the 2024 ESPYs for his service in the British Armed Forces and his work with the Invictus Games Foundation.
Despite his achievements, the Duke of Sussex has already been met with criticism for being shortlisted for the award.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee recently disapproved of the decision to award Prince Harry, claiming they are trying to “p-ss people off.”
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Pat McAfee Slams ESPYs For Honoring Prince Harry With Pat Tillman Award
According to the Daily Mail, McAfee criticized the ESPYs for shortlisting Prince Harry amongst the nominees to be honored with the Pat Tillman awards, claiming that the host didn’t do their due diligence in the selection process.
“A lot of conversation about Pat Tillman’s name. American hero… Now there’s an award named after him, as there should be in the sports world because that is somebody who is the definition of selfless,” McAfee explained.
He went on to acknowledge that the award was “going to Prince Harry,” whom he said he doesn’t “even think is a prince anymore.” He then wondered why the “ESPYs do this sh-t.”
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McAfee’s castmate Boston Connor described Harry’s nomination as “probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve seen in my entire life,” as McAfee questioned if the event’s host properly perused its candidate.
“When you do something like this, you know the immediate reaction from humans and sports fans and like people with common sense and brains is going to be like ‘Hey, don’t be putting our f—ing guy with that guy,'” he added.
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Pat McAfee Shares His Thoughts On Prince Harry
The sports analyst then disclosed what he thinks about the Duke of Sussex, noting that he “doesn’t know anything about him” but for the “South Park episode and what I’ve learned from the Crown.”
He also claimed that the show organizers “weren’t necessarily thrilled about” Harry’s nomination for the award before another castmate, TY Schmitt, said the ESPYs awards is just “a gimmick.”
“We should celebrate sports,” McAfee continued. “The worldwide leaders should celebrate sport, but doing something like this is obviously trying to p-ss people off. And it’s like there’s been numerous decisions of this type of thing over the last what? Decade?”
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Pat McAfee & His Co-Hosts Wondered If Americans Were Considered For The Award
Elsewhere on the show, the OAPs quizzed whether or not American veterans were considered for the award, which is given to “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.”
“It’s like you couldn’t find an active U.S. military member or someone who can’t serve anymore because of something they did while serving,” Schmitt wondered. “There are probably hundreds if not thousands, of people who they could have found who could have benefitted from this award. But instead, let’s give it to Prince Harry.”
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McAfee then suggested that the ESPYs “make up” the award for the Duke of Sussex, saying, “How about it’s like ESPY for a royal family member who doesn’t want to be called ‘royal family member’ who loves sports.”
Prince Harry Will Be Honored At The ESPYs On July 11
Harry’s efforts to empower wounded veterans and use sports as a tool for recovery have resulted in his being honored at this year’s ESPYs.
A press statement from the network shared that the Duke of Sussex will receive the 2024 Pat Tillman Award for his “tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport” on July 11, when the ESPYs air on ABC.
The Tillman Award is usually “given to 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.”
Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation played a major part in his recent honor due to its amazing impact on the lives of war veterans worldwide.
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The Duke’s Invictus Games Foundation Was Praised For ‘Transcending Borders’
ESPN praised the father-of-two for his Invictus Games foundation, noting that the platform has “transcended borders and impacted lives across every continent” since its inception in 2014.
The honor has been given to several people other than sports stars in the past, including Jake Wood in 2018 and Gretchen Evans in 2022. Famous athletes who’ve won it include English footballer Marcus Rashford in 2021 and boxer Kim Clavel in 2020.
“It’s our privilege to recognize three incredible individuals – Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley, and Prince Harry,” said Kate Jackson, VP of Production, ESPN. “These honorees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity, and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate them at The 2024 ESPYS.”