From the day we arrive on the planet and blinking, step into the sun.
There's more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done.
There's far too much to take in here, more to find than can ever be found.
But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky, keeps great and small on the endless round.
Some say, "Eat or be eaten." Some say, "Live and let live."
But all are agreed, as they join the stampede, you should never take more than you give.
In the circle of life, it's the wheel of fortune.
It's the leap of faith, it's the band of hope.
Some of us fall by the wayside. And some of us soar to the stars.
The final day of the NFL draft is a long one. There are four rounds and 157 players to be selected, which will last about seven hours. Most of the players are far from being household names.
But, it was a special day in Pittsburgh for the Pat Tillman Foundation, who are front and center for the 226th selection (in the seventh round), the one the Arizona Cardinals used on Tillman in the 1998 draft.
Once the sixth round ended with pick 216, everyone was on alert, especially Tillman Scholar Margo Darragh, who would announce the Tillman Pick, and Cardinals teammate, linebacker Zack Walz, who was actually picked one round before Tillman in ’98 and would say a few words before the choice is revealed. Walz has joked (is it a joke?) that was likely an example of the team’s poor personnel evaluations.
The Cardinals began the sixth round by drafting Mississippi tackle Jayden Williams, and after eight more picks, with it approaching 6 p.m. Eastern time, the stage was set. Pittsburgh artist Cody Sabol was in place with the portrait he speed-painted live in the Steelers stadium, and Darragh and Walz walked on stage.
Walz said, “I know all you fine people in the ‘Burgh work hard and love this country. I’ll tell you, there was one other person who loved this country as much as anyone else. My good friend, my Cardinals teammate, Pat Tillman. Pick 226; this is for you, Pat.”
At that point, Darragh, who attended the Naval Academy, said, “Wow. It’s such an honor to be here representing the Pat Tillman Foundation, my fellow Tillman Scholars and the military community more broadly especially my hometown. It’s awesome to be here. And so with that we have a particularly special pick and you’ll see here in a second why.
“With the 226th pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Landon Robinson, DT, NAVY! Go Navy, beat Army!”
That resulted in a another “wow” from NFL Network host Rich Eisen, who said, “A Navy man with the Pat Tillman pick.”
Robinson later told the Cincinnati media after being selected that it was “such a blessing” to be the Tillman pick. “I was waiting here with all my family and friends for the pick to go through, so we were kind of waiting for a long time. But it couldn't be a cooler award, and I think that just truly represents the military and the service. To be able to have that pick tied to me just means a lot"
“I've been reflecting on it,” she told CardsWire. “It's hard to put into words. So special. I just moved back to Pittsburgh after not really living at home since I left for the Naval Academy in 2012. I just moved back to the city last month to start my legal career and then for Pittsburgh to be hosting the draft right when I moved back to the city and then to be fortunate enough to be a Tillman Scholar and to have the Foundation ask me to be the one to announce the draft pick. I just can't believe it all came together the way it did.
“And it's always such an honor to be even affiliated in some way with the Foundation and Pat Tillman's legacy, but in particular to get to announce the pick and then also have it go to a Naval Academy football player was all just so crazy to be honest and a really special experience.”