With sincerity, transparency and purpose, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham earned a high honor.
Kenny Dillingham To Lead the Way at Pat’s Run
The Pat Tillman Foundation, named after former Arizona State legend, bestowed their highest honor to Kenny Dillingham, as the Sun Devils coach will serve as the official starter of Pat’s Run.
🔥YOUR 2025 PAT’S RUN RACE STARTER!🔥
The Pat Tillman Foundation is excited to announce that @KennyDillingham, head coach of the Arizona State University football team, is the official race starter for the 21st Annual Pat’s Run, presented by TEKsystems. pic.twitter.com/jPcyHjuNsS
— Pat Tillman Fnd (@pattillmanfnd) February 20, 2025
The run benefits the foundation, in turn, providing scholarship to students. Dillingham gets this distinction due to what the foundation, and pretty much the entire Tempe fanbase, thinks of his stewardship of the football program.
“Pat Tillman’s selfless spirit and commitment to service are an inspiration to us all,” Dillingham said in a statement regarding the honor. “My family, our team, and our staff are honored to help kick off this amazing event that brings our community together to celebrate his legacy.”
An Arizona State Connection
In November 2022, when Arizona State hired Dillingham, the administration charted their smartest course. Instead of continuing a frustrating pattern of hiring coaches looking to cash out, they chose one of their own.
Dillingham never played a single down of postsecondary football due to a knee injury, starting coaching before his eighteenth birthday. After graduating from ASU, the future program head coach started his college career as a graduate assistant in Tempe. Ten years later, the administration brought the innovative young coach home.
On the other hand, Tillman patrolled the Arizona State defense as a linebacker from 1995-97. He was named 1997 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as ASU went 26-9 during Tillman’s career.
From there, the Arizona Cardinals selected him in seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft, starting 39 of 60 games, including the last twenty-eight.
In May 2002, Tillman rejected a nearly four-million-dollar deal, opting to enlist and head to the Middle East to serve. Tillman became a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, a special operations part of the United States Army. On April 22, 2004, friendly fire took his life.
Yet, his loss of life doesn’t tell the story about how dedicated of a human being he was. Whether in the huddle in the Pac-10 or trudging through an operation in Afghanistan, Tillman was the ideal teammate.
In modern parlance, Dillingham falls and unequivocally understands the assignment. Additionally, the energic sincerity permeates every fiber of the coach’s approaches life. The human form of caffeine, Dillingham doesn’t perform for the camera or attempt to center himself. Instead, he comprehends not only his place in this world, but what this honor means.
The Pat Tillman Foundation discussed their selection of the Arizona State coach and why his inclusion matters.
“Coach Dillingham is a natural fit for this role, given his deep connection to both Pat’s alma mater and the principles he stood for,” they said. “His passion for developing student-athletes reflects the values Pat upheld, and we’re excited to see him bring that same energy to this iconic event.”
Though they never met, the Sun Devil head coach and legend shared the same care and placed the same balance on the educational process. Tillman’s statue stands in the front of the Tillman Tunnel, the players’ entrance at Sun Devil Stadium, serving as a reminder of what Tillman meant to not only the university but people in general.
Back in 2017, when the school dedicated the statue, Tillman’s brother, Kevin articulated what the school meant to his brother.
“Pat spent his whole life trying to be the best person he could be,” he said. “He didn’t focus on money or things or a pretty statue. It was, ‘How do I make myself better in all of these different facets in my life?’ And ASU gave him the opportunity to do that.”
KEEP READING: Kenny Dillingham Stresses Community, Urges Fans to Sell Out Every Home Game
Dillingham brought high energy and success to Tempe during the start of his career in Arizona. He will attempt to represent what Tillman brought to the field and classroom. While teams will succeed and fail, Dillingham’s demeanor shows that he chooses to win at the game of life.
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