Salute to Service award
| Awarded for | Recognizes exceptional efforts by members of the NFL community to honor and support U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. |
|---|---|
| Presented by | NFL & USAA |
| History | |
| First award | 2011 |
| Most recent | Christian McCaffrey |
The Salute to Service award is an annual award given presented by USAA at the NFL Honors. It is part of the NFL's larger Salute to Service initiative, which aims to honor, empower, and connect with U.S. service members, veterans, and their families.[1] As of 2025, the campaign has raised over $75 million since its inception in 2011.[2] The award aims to acknowledge members of the NFL community that honor and support U.S. service members, veterans, and their families with exceptional effort.[3][4] The award is unique in that it can be awarded to any member of the NFL community, not just players and coaches.[5]
Winners
| Year | Player | Position | Team | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Bud Adams | Owner | Tennessee Titans | [6] |
| 2012 | Charles Tillman | CB | Chicago Bears | [7] |
| 2013 | John Harbaugh | HC | Baltimore Ravens | [8] |
| 2014 | Jared Allen | DE | Chicago Bears | [9] |
| 2015 | Vincent Jackson | WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | [10] |
| 2016 | Dan Quinn | HC | Atlanta Falcons | [11] |
| 2017 | Andre Roberts | WR | Atlanta Falcons | [12] |
| 2018 | Ben Garland | G | Atlanta Falcons | [13] |
| 2019 | Donnie Edwards | Legend | Los Angeles Chargers | [14] |
| 2020 | Steve Cannon | CEO | Atlanta Falcons | [15] |
| 2021 | Andrew Beck | TE/FB | Denver Broncos | [16] |
| 2022 | Ron Rivera | HC | Washington Commanders | [17] |
| 2023 | Joe Cardona | LS | New England Patriots | [18] |
| 2024 | George Kittle | TE | San Francisco 49ers | [19] |
| 2025 | Christian McCaffrey | RB | San Francisco 49ers | [20] |
References
- ^ "Seattle Seahawks Celebrate NFL's Salute to Service Initiative, presented by USAA". www.seahawks.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ Richardson, Mark (2025-11-11). "NFL Salute to Service raises millions for its military nonprofit partners". FOX Local. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Finalists Announced for the 15th Annual NFL Salute to Service Award Presented by USAA | NFL Football Operations". operations.nfl.com. 2026-01-20. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ Associated Press (2026-01-16). "McCaffrey, Jones, Ferguson finalists for NFL's Salute to Service Award". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "NFL and USAA Announce 2025 Nominees from Across the League for Salute to Service Award". www.patriots.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Titans Owner Bud Adams Named First Winner of Salute To Service Award". www.tennesseetitans.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Tillman wins Salute to Service Award". www.charlestillman.org. Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation. 2013-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "USO Tour Veteran and Ravens Coach John Harbaugh Receives NFL Salute to Service Award". United Service Organizations. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Bears Defensive End Jared Allen named Salute to Service Award honoree". NFL.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ Bradle, Trish (2016-02-07). "Vincent Jackson presented with Salute to Service Award". 2026-02-01.
- ^ Wilner, Barry (2017-02-03). "Falcons coach Dan Quinn wins Salute to Service Award". Online Athens. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ Associated Press (2018-01-31). "Falcons WR Andre Roberts wins Salute to Service award". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Air Force graduate Ben Garland wins NFL's Salute To Service Award". Air Force Academy Athletics. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ Hayley, Elwood (2020-01-29). "Donnie Edwards Named 2019 Salute to Service Award Recipient". www.chargers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Steve Cannon named recipient of NFL's Salute to Service Award". www.atlantafalcons.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Broncos Andrew Beck Wins NFL's Salute To Service Award - CBS Colorado". www.cbsnews.com. 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "NFL and USAA Announce Washington Commanders' Ron Rivera as Recipient of 12th Annual Salute to Service Award | NFL Football Operations". operations.nfl.com. 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "Joe Cardona Named Recipient of NFL's Military Service Award". Military Family Advisory Network. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "George Kittle Named Recipient of NFL's 14th Annual Salute to Service Award". www.49ers.com. 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
- ^ "49ers' Christian McCaffrey wins 2025 Salute to Service award". www.espn.com. 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-05.