The brother of late NFL player and war hero Pat Tillman faces two years in prison after pleading guilty to firebombing a San Jose post office using his car over the summer.
Richard Tillman, 44, drove his vehicle into the post office on Crown Boulevard around 3 a.m. on July 20 that sparked a fire, NBC Bay Area reported.
Richard Tillman, accused of using his car to firebomb a San Jose post office last summer, pleaded guilty on Monday. KGOPolice charged Richard — whose family said he struggled with “severe mental issues” — after he spent more than six months in custody.
He pleaded guilty to charges of malicious destruction of government property.
Richard, dressed in an all-yellow prison jumpsuit, was seen smiling while entering his plea.
His since-deleted YouTube page appeared to outline what he described as a mission to bring down the government, ABC7 Eyewitness News reported. In a July 15, 2025 video, he declared that he was going to “take down the whole system” — including the US and what he referred to as the world government.
Tillman admitted to intentionally crashing his car into the San Jose post office to make a point to the US government. KGO
Tillman drove his vehicle into the post office on Crown Boulevard in San Jose on July 20, sparked a fire. AP
The scene of the fire after Tillman’s arrest for driving his car into a San Jose post office in Northern California. CBS
The San Jose Fire Department responded to the fire after Tillman’s car crashed into a post office, July 20, 2025. APAfter the crash, the Tillman family put out a statement addressing Richard’s actions, adding they were “relieved that no one was physically harmed.”
“To be clear, it’s no secret that Richard has been battling severe mental health issues for many years. He has been livestreaming what I’ll call his altered self on social media for anyone to witness,” his brother Kevin Tillman wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult — or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be.”
Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman shown in June 2003. He was killed in Afghanistan after walking away from a multimillion-dollar NFL contract to join the Army Rangers in 2004. APRichard had a short stint in Hollywood but gained national attention when he spoke at his brother’s funeral, pushing back at the religious themes during Pat’s service in 2004.
“He’s not with God. He’s f–king dead. He’s not religious,” Richard said at the time. “So thanks for your thoughts, but he’s f–king dead.”
Pat died in a friendly-fire incident in April 2004 at the age of 27 while serving as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan.
The NFL player left his career as a safety with the Arizona Cardinals to join the military.
Pat Tillman, center, with brothers Richard, left, and Kevin, right, are shown in a photo from Pat’s wedding, displayed during a public memorial service for Tillman at the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, Calif., on May 3, 2004. AP
Richard Tillman’s since-deleted YouTube page appeared to outline what he described as a mission to bring down the government, ABC7 Eyewitness News reported. Facebook/Richard TillmanPat served multiple tours of duty, including Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2003 and was posthumously awarded the Army’s Silver Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal and Army Achievement Medal.
Richard Tillman, a San Jose native, had previously launched a children’s book series, “LUNA-TIKES,” inspired by life as a stay-at-home dad and featuring sports-themed characters that teach young kids empathy and life lessons.
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