Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Jon Gaines II was born in the year when Pat Tillman was in his second season with the team.
But Gaines has made sure to know who went before him and it was brought to the surface this week when he wore a No. 40 jersey in practice as the Pat Tillman Scout Team Player of the Week.
Asked how much he knew about Tillman before being selected by the Cardinals in the 2023 draft, Gaines said, “I’m a quirky NFL guy, football guy, so I’ve known about Pat Tillman for a long time. I understand the sacrifice that he made for his country, for the people that he loved. It’s like history class. You gotta know your past to be able to attack your future the right way.”
Gaines notices how the NFL has a veteran’s presence on a regular basis.
“We honor veterans every single game,” he said. “Teams all around the league, home game or away game. I feel like the NFL and the military are very intertwined and it’s a very patriotic league. My grandfather was in the military; he was in the Army for 20 years, so being able to honor those who served is a really big thing for me.”
It made wearing the Tillman jersey all the more special.
Gaines said, “It’s a blessing to be able to receive that honor for a week. Knowing how much Pat Tillman meant to the NFL, to this organization. The intent that he had every single day and it’s great to be recognized for having intent like that or close to that and be able to replicate it just a little bit and be able to help our defense be able to go out and perform. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
Gaines said it’s important that head coach Jonathan Gannon created the weekly award.
“I think it means a lot,” he said. “I think especially if you’re not the guy on the film all the time, you have a feeling; it’s natural to think you sometimes might feel like you’re going unnoticed. But they’re (coaches) very passionate about developing everybody. It’s a team game. We help everybody get better regardless of your position and then owning your role is such a big thing here.
“So being able to do whatever it is that you need to do to help the team win and perform; that’s all that really matters.”
The award can definitely be a motivator and Gaines is the first one from the 53-man roster to capture the award after practice squad players were honored the first three weeks.
Gaines concluded, “Especially missing the year with an injury, the fact that our coaches are so passionate about just having intent every single day and that’s something you want to carry with you because every day matters. And being able to have that attitude, you got great guys on the team that all feel that same way too. Being able to be around a group of guys that all believe that every single day matters, you practice like you will play.”
2024 Pat Tillman Award Winners
- Week 1: RB Michael Carter
- Week 2: LB Markus Bailey
- Week 3: WR Andre Baccellia
- Week 4: OL Jon Gaines II
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