National Football League

Army sergeant wins Tillman Award

Published Nov. 4, 2010 5:55 p.m. ET

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Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Nelson of Dawson, Minn., has won the NFL-Tillman Military Scholar award.

The scholarship was created this year to honor an individual who exemplifies Pat Tillman's legacy of service and is part of a program established by the Pat Tillman Foundation. The foundation helps veteran and active service members from the U.S. military who wish to start, finish, or further their education, and also aids dependents and survivors of service members.

Nelson, who currently attends Minnesota State, is a former paratrooper with 39 months of combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan while serving nearly seven years of active duty in the Army. He will be the Vikings' honorary captain Sunday against the Cardinals, for whom Tillman played. Tillman died in Afghanistan in 2004.