This early breaking news is from the Drudge Report. The NFL plans a 1:00 p.m. ET press conference.

Pat Tillman turned down a three-year, $3.6 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals to volunteer as an Army Ranger.

Here are some background articles on Pat Tillman from the NFL, USA Today, the Las Vegas Sun, Veterans Advantage, ESPN, and the Army Times.

Former Arizona safety Pat Tillman turned down a three-year, $3.6 million contract offer from the Cardinals to pursue his dream of being a Ranger in the U.S. Army

On the U.S. Army Rangers: Members of the 75th Ranger Regiment - Pat Tillman's unit - make up an "elite combat unit." Candidates must pass a stringent orientation course, where they are challenged physically and mentally, before they can even be selected. The Rangers are an infantry force trained to fight against any threat. Their creed: "Rangers lead the way!"

This is a duplicate of the original post from the nikita demosthenes website.

UPDATE: Pat Tillman, KIA. Reports from Army Ranger.com, CNN, and MSNBC.

Per MSNBC:

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In Afghanistan, Tillman's batallion was involved in "Operation Mountain Storm," part of the U.S. campaign against Taliban and al-Qaida groups along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, military officials said.

He was killed during action in the past 24 hours, they said.

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SECOND UPDATE: A true American hero: the sad news of patriot Pat Tillman's death, fighting al Qaeda in the line-of-duty along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, reverberates throughout the United States and the world. See:

Fox News,
Associated Press,
The Washington Post,
Reuters,
U.S. Army Ranger Association,
Arizona Cardinals Official Website,
Peggy Noonan - "Privileged to Serve",
California's "Patio Pundit" blog,
France's "Merde in France" blog,
Canada's "Ghost of a Flea" blog, and
Australia's Tim Blair.

NFL.com - (April 23, 2004) -- Former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, who gave up an NFL contract to join the Army Rangers, reportedly has been killed in Afghanistan.

NFL.com - (April 23, 2004) In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Tillman turned down a three-year contract with the Cardinals to enlist in the Army.

More from the Arizona Cardinals Official Website:

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Tillman was a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the Army refers to them as an "elite combat unit." Candidates must pass a stringent orientation course, where they are challenged physically and mentally, before they can even be selected. The Rangers are an infantry force trained to fight against any threat. Their creed: "Rangers lead the way!"

An unrestricted free agent in 2002 when he made his decision, Tillman declined an offer from the Cardinals to play football that year. That wasn't the first time Tillman had proven his loyalty -- in 2001 he turned down a chance to play with the St. Louis Rams to stay with Arizona for another year.

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Tillman walked away from a $3.6 million contract with the Cardinals in the spring of 2002 to join his brother as an Army Ranger. He made the move quietly, staging no press conference, granting no interviews and issuing no public remarks about his decision. The move was a personal one for Tillman, who, according to those around him, was deeply moved by the attacks of 9-11. He wanted to "pay something back," Cardinals defensive coordinator Larry Marmie told reporters at the time.

THIRD UPDATE: Per Iowa Hawk:

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Pat Tillman 1976-2004

(212) 450-2000.

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