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The NFL and USAA have announced 32 team nominees for the annual Salute to Service Award, headlined by Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
Each team has a nominee for the award, which honors a player, coach, alumni or staff member who makes extraordinary efforts to honor and support the military and veteran communities.
Here are the 32 nominees for the Salute to Service Award:
- Arizona Cardinals: DJ Dallas, RB
- Atlanta Falcons: Chris Millman, Staff
- Baltimore Ravens: Steve Claggett Jr., Staff
- Buffalo Bills: Matthew Smiley, special teams coach
- Carolina Panthers: Austin Corbett, C
- Chicago Bears: Travis Homer, RB
- Cincinnati Bengals: Brian Wilburn, Staff
- Cleveland Browns: Shawn Hulse, Staff
- Dallas Cowboys: Jack Martin, G
- Denver Broncos: Keith Bishop, Staff
- Detroit Lions: Carl Jones II, staff
- Green Bay Packers: Lucas Van Ness, DE
- Houston Texans: Mark Lewis, Staff
- Indianapolis Colts: Trey Mock, Staff
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, DE
- Kansas City Chiefs: Mitch Holthus, Staff
- Las Vegas Raiders: Robert Spillane, LB
- Los Angeles Chargers: Morgan Fox, DL
- Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford, QB
- Miami Dolphins: Blake Ferguson, LS
- Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones, RB
- New England Patriots: David Andrews, C
- New Orleans Saints: Nate Degen, Staff
- New York Giants: Wellington Mara, owner (posthumously nominated)
- New York Jets: Tony Richardson, alumnus
- Philadelphia Eagles: Lane Johnson, RT
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Rocky Blair, Alumnus
- San Francisco 49ers: George Kittle, TE
- Seattle Seahawks: Mike McDonald, head coach
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brian Ford, Staff
- Tennessee Titans: Alyssa Gallegos, Staff
- Washington Commanders: Jeremy Reeves, Safety
The Salute to Service Award was created in 2011, with the winner receiving a $25,000 donation that goes to the military or veteran charity of their choice. USAA also contributes $25,000 in the winner’s name to official aid committees representing all United States military branches.
Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona, who played college football at Navy from 2011 to 2014, won the award last year. he remains one active member of the Army as department head of Maritime Security Squadron 8 in Rhode Island.
Other previous winners include Charles Tillman (2012), John Harbaugh (2013), Jared Allen (2014) and Ron Rivera (2022).
Kittle and Aaron Jones, who are also among the 2024 nominees two finalists With Cardona last year.
The most unique nominee from this year’s field is former New York Giants owner Wellington Mara, who died in 2005. The Giants said he “spent his life honoring, empowering and connecting with service members, veterans and their families.”
Mara served in the military as a member of the United States Navy during World War II. During his 40 months at sea he was a lieutenant on the USS Santee and USS Randolph.
The 32 nominees will be divided into three finalists determined by fan vote. The winner of that group of finalists will be determined by a five-person panel that includes Cardona, former NFL head coach Jim Mora Sr., three-time Super Bowl champion Chad Hennings, NFL vice president of security Lenny Bandy, and USAA senior vice president of safety and security Joe Biden. and Chief of Military Affairs John Richardson.
The winner will be honored at the NFL Honors Ceremony in New Orleans during Super Bowl week.