Friday was Veterans Day, but Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown didn’t take the gridiron until today. That didn’t stop him from honoring a tremendous veteran a few days later. Brown has paid tribute to legends such as Muhammad Ali and Arnold Palmer with special pre-game cleats. This week the Pittsburgh wideout honored American hero Pat Tillman.
All caps – HERO !
Sunday vibes !! Thank you for your service Pat Tillman #veteransday pic.twitter.com/eIFxWgjmgc
— AB (@AB84) November 12, 2016
One side of the shoe features Tillman in his army uniform, while the other side features the iconic image of Tillman yelling as he sprints onto the field while playing for the Cardinals.
Tillman is the former Cardinals defensive back who left the NFL and his huge contract to enlist in the Army following the attacks of 9/11. Tillman joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the mountains of Afghanistan. In 2004, Tillman was 27-years-old when he died and would have turned 40 this week.
As with Brown’s other tribute cleats, the NFL will force him to take the shoes off before the game or face a penalty.