A Navy SEAL who was involved in the operation that killed Bin Laden reflects on a moment of realization he had about the Washington Redskins prior to the mission, thinking to himself, ‘I might not survive until next week.’

**The Unwavering Sports Fandom of Robert O’Neill During a Historic Mission**

Even the monumental task of participating in the operation to eliminate Usama bin Laden couldn’t overshadow Robert O’Neill’s passion for sports. In April 2011, O’Neill was deployed in Afghanistan as a member of SEAL Team 6, just days away from a mission that had been nearly a decade in the making. Despite being thousands of miles from home, one of his priorities remained clear: his beloved Washington Redskins were set to make the 10th pick in the NFL Draft.

However, as the draft approached, O’Neill found himself grappling with the gravity of his situation. He recalled a moment on the treadmill, watching the NFL Draft, when he thought about the Redskins needing an offensive tackle. Suddenly, the reality of his impending mission hit him: “It doesn’t matter to me, I guess; I’m gonna be dead next week,” he reflected during an appearance on OutKick’s “The Ricky Cobb Show.”

Fortunately for O’Neill, the draft turned out well for the Redskins, who selected defensive end Ryan Kerrigan. Although it wasn’t the offensive tackle he had hoped for, O’Neill’s concerns about the team were momentarily alleviated. The mission, known as Operation Neptune Spear, was successful, and O’Neill returned home safely, later witnessing Kerrigan’s impressive career, which included four Pro Bowl selections.

Interestingly, the Redskins did not draft an offensive lineman until the seventh round, but O’Neill had no reason to be upset with the choice of Kerrigan, given the successful outcome of both the mission and the draft.