he would ultimately remain unsigned. Staat eventually earned his pension during a stint with the St. Louis Rams during the 2003 season after transitioning back to the defensive line. The following season, he joined the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League. During the season, he learned Tillman had been killed in action in Afghanistan, in what was later revealed to be a "friendly fire" incident. The loss of his friend further reduced his interest in football. He would throw his helmet during the middle of practice and storm off the field, leaving the Avengers and professional football forever. Post-football career Immediately after football, one of Staat's friends got him a job working at a Walgreens drug store. Staat, like Tillman's family, was dismayed by the United States Army's handling of the story surrounding Tillman's death; himself noting that "The fog around his death was thickened by lies." However, after spending time deciding on his own future, he opted to follow his deceased friend and teammate's example and join the military; but instead of the Army, he joined the United States Marine Corps. Staat joined the Marine Corps in 2006. In March 2007, Lance Corporal Staat deployed with 1st Battalion 3rd Marines for a seven-month mission in Iraq. He was an infantry machine gunner and drove around in seven-ton armored trucks used to transport soldiers. Staat's Iraq tour was fairly quiet, his unit suffered two injuries and no one was killed in action. His opinions changed: "It wasn't a blood fest, like some people make it out to be. It was pretty controlled. We had a pretty good sense of security. My eyes were opened up. They [the Iraqis] were just people. I expected to see guys running around with AK-47s, shouting about Allah and shooting into the sky." After returning from his tour, he started to have back, hip and heart problems. He was put on light duty and began the process of seeking a medical discharge. Following his military career, Staat opted to return and finish his degree. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2009 with a master's degree, and returned to his hometown of Bakersfield, where he teaches welding at Bakersfield College. In 2019, Staat announced that he would be running for Congress in the 2020 Election on the Republican Party ticket for California's 8th congressional district. He lost in the March primary to Jay