There are no active or prominent National Football League players who have left professional sports to enlist or join the United States Army in the modern era. While historical precedents saw legendary athletes like Pat Tillman walk away from lucrative NFL contracts to enlist in the U.S. Army Rangers following the tragic events of September eleventh, contemporary professional football players complete their athletic careers before pursuing alternative paths, and active-duty service academy graduates fulfill military commitments before or alongside any rare professional sports opportunities.