Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt Makes $15,000 Donation to the Pat Tillman Foundation

On May 24, 2025, Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt made a generous personal donation of $15,000 from his NIL earnings to the Pat Tillman Foundation in support of the Tillman Scholar program, which helps military service members, veterans, and spouses pursue higher education and leadership opportunities.

Sam presented the donation at the youth football camp he hosted in Chandler, AZ, with fellow Sun Devil Jordan Tyson, telling reporters, “I just want to give back to the community and the people that support me and my programs.”

“Just to be able to do something like that in a way that’s super beneficial, I’m happy to be able to give back,” he continued. “It’s a big thing to me and my family. I’ve got a cousin who’s a Green Beret. It means a lot to me. It’s a big-time story at ASU. So to able to do that and give back in a situation where I’m helping kids out, at the same time, it just makes me feel like a better person.”

Dr. Katherine Steele, CEO of the Pat Tillman Foundation and 2014 Tillman Scholar, was also in attendance at the check ceremony, along with 2024 Tillman Scholar Seth Sifuentes, a U.S. Navy veteran who is using his Tillman Scholarship to earn his law degree. “It’s an incredible gift and an honor to see a young kid that really understands what we do here at the foundation and wants to invest in what we call the ‘ripple effect’ of Pat’s legacy,” Katherine said. “And so for a young kid to recognize that and want to give back to the foundation and the mission of what we do — proud. Proud and honored and humbled, for sure.”

Sam’s inspiring gift caught the attention of news outlets across Arizona and beyond. Check out coverage from CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, College Football Network, and AZ Central.