The Salute to Service nominees all have a personal reason for the work
From a Naval Academy graduate in Cincinnati to a linebacker raised on Navy bases, the 2026 nominees announced this week were picked for years of military community work.
- The Salute to Service Award is in its 16th year, recognizing NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni for supporting military and veteran communities. m:…1514 m:…8219
- The winner's name carries a $25,000 donation from USAA to official military aid societies, matched by $25,000 from the NFL Foundation to the winner's chosen military nonprofit. m:…1514
- Bengals nominee Landon Robinson is a 2026 graduate of the United States Naval Academy who was commissioned as a Marine Corps second lieutenant on May 22, 2026. m:…7969
- Panthers nominee Devin Lloyd was nominated for the award last season by the Jacksonville Jaguars, making this his second consecutive nomination. m:…8219
- Fans can vote for the award's three finalists until November 30, 2026, and the finalists will be announced in January. m:…2756
The award, and the week it filled up
Team after team announced its nominee for the 2026 Salute to Service Award this week. The Rams named quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Panthers named linebacker Devin Lloyd, the Bengals named defensive tackle Landon Robinson, the Packers named defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness, and the Buccaneers named offensive lineman Ben Bredeson. The award, presented by USAA, is in its 16th year and honors NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who support service members, veterans and their families. m:…1514 m:…8219 m:…7969 m:…2756 m:…3307
The mechanics are the same for every nominee. Fans can vote for the three finalists until November 30, 2026, the finalists will be announced in January 2027, and the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors during the week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles. USAA will contribute 25,000 dollars in the recipient's name to official military aid societies, and the NFL Foundation will match that with 25,000 dollars to the recipient's chosen military nonprofit charity. m:…1514
The award is also the centerpiece of a wider stretch of the calendar. Salute to Service initiatives will be featured in NFL stadiums during Weeks 9 through 11 of the regular season, so the nominations land just as the league's military appreciation window opens. m:…2756
The nominees with service in the family
Stafford's nomination reflects an 18-year NFL career of military advocacy, including hosting military guests and supporting veteran-focused organizations. He hosted 20 guests from the Navy SEAL Foundation during the Rams' Salute to Service game, and the Rams' second Military Classic flag football tournament, with 12 military teams taking part, is scheduled for Saturday, November 7. m:…1514
Lloyd's case is rooted in his upbringing. He grew up in U.S. Navy households, which he credits for his discipline and maturity, and this is his second consecutive nomination, having been nominated last season by the Jacksonville Jaguars. His community work includes participation in the Wounded Warriors Project's Project Odyssey and hosting football camps for military children in the U.S. and Germany, including a camp at Ramstein Base. m:…8219
Van Ness brings a family connection of a different kind: his grandfather served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army for 27 years. Van Ness participated in a Huddle for Heroes event during his rookie season, wrote letters to active-duty military members to encourage them during deployment, and is the Packers' 2026 Salute to Service campaign spokesperson. m:…2756
The nominee who wears the uniform
Robinson is the most direct case of all. He is a 2026 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Marine Corps second lieutenant on May 22, 2026. He established the Landon Robinson Foundation to support youth suicide prevention and veteran families, and the Bengals named him their nominee for that commitment to military engagement and community outreach. m:…7969
Bredeson's nomination rests on steady work rather than a single story. He donates game tickets to military families through the Community Ticket Program, has visited MacDill Air Force Base as part of team activities, and volunteers at the team's annual Turkey Time with the O-Line and O-Line Lights Up Christmas events. m:…3307
His support has also followed him across teams. He supported the Wisconsin Guardian Foundation in his first two seasons as a Buccaneer and the Battle Ground 22 Foundation in 2023 while with the New York Giants. The Buccaneers will host the Carolina Panthers on November 30 for the Salute to Service Game, when over 300 applicants will take the Oath of Enlistment at halftime. m:…3307
What the pattern says
Look across the five nominees and the shared trait is that the military connection predates the nomination. One grew up in Navy households, one is a Naval Academy graduate and serving Marine officer, one is the grandson of a 27-year Army officer, and the others have years of visits, ticket donations and foundation work behind them. m:…8219 m:…7969 m:…2756
That is presumably the point of an award that asks fans to vote. The finalists will be announced in January and the winner honored in February, and the nominees who stand out are the ones whose case does not depend on a single event in a single week. The vote runs until November 30, and the strongest argument any nominee can make is a record that was already there before the nomination arrived. m:…1514 m:…7969
What is still unresolved
- Which three nominees become finalists, to be announced in January.
- Who wins the award, to be recognized at NFL Honors in February.
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