Award Recipient to be Recognized at NFL Honors during Super Bowl LX in San Francisco
The 49ers Communications staff provided the following information.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The NFL and USAA, an official NFL Salute to Service partner, announced San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey as one of three finalists for the 15th annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA, among Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson.
Christian McCaffrey is being recognized for his exceptional efforts to honor and support members of the military community. The Salute to Service Award recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors on February 5 during Super Bowl LX in San Francisco.
McCaffrey's commitment to the military community stems from a deep respect for service and a belief in supporting mental and physical wellness. Through the Christian McCaffrey Foundation, he honors and empowers veterans, especially those in Special Operations, with holistic health resources.
The foundation's flagship initiative, 23 and Troops, launched in 2021 and focuses on healing from post-traumatic stress using athlete-level care. McCaffrey advocates for veterans to be treated as athletes and receive the same elite treatment. The 23 and Troops initiative has invested nearly $700,000 in military support, including $250,000 to REBOOT Recovery for trauma healing and another $250,000 to Resilience Code for personalized medical care.
McCaffrey also actively participates in Salute to Service programming, connecting with active-duty members, veterans, and Gold Star families, and showcases 23 and Troops through the league's My Cause My Cleats initiative.
"It's an honor to be recognized as a finalist for this year's Salute to Service Award," said McCaffrey. "Serving those who serve us has been something myself and everyone involved with my foundation [the Christian McCaffrey Foundation] have prioritized over the years. Many veterans return home from war, but never truly come back, so with initiatives like 23 and Troops, we focus on bringing resources to U.S. Elite forces, active-duty military, veterans and frontline workers to help overcome trauma and PTSD."
"The finalists for the 15th Annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA have used their platforms to be exceptional advocates for the military community, reminding us that service doesn't stop when the uniform comes off," said Major General (Retired) Bob Whittle, Senior Vice President and Head of Military Affairs at USAA. "The NFL and USAA applaud Jake Ferguson, Aaron Jones, and Christian McCaffrey as deserving finalists who have demonstrated exactly what the award stands for — using the power of football to connect with, empower, appreciate and uplift our service members, veterans and their families."
For the past 15 seasons, the Salute to Service Award has been an integral part of the NFL's and USAA's year-round commitment to recognize the military and veteran community. As the presenting sponsor of the award, USAA, a leading provider of insurance, banking and financial services to U.S. military members, veterans and their families, will contribute $25,000 in the recipient's name to official aid societies representing all U.S. military branches. The NFL Foundation will match USAA's contribution by donating an additional $25,000 to the recipient's military non-profit charity of choice. The award nominees from each team were announced in October and consist of current and former players, coaches and front office staff. To learn more about all 32 nominees and their stories, visit the link here.
Fans once again played a role in determining the award's three finalists through an online vote. Fan's favorite nominees were then evaluated through a combination of feedback from an NFL internal committee and USAA. The three finalists are assessed on the positive impact of their support for the military community, the nature and scope of their service, the thoroughness of their efforts, and their overall level of commitment.
A panel of judges, consisting of representatives from the U.S. military community, the NFL and USAA, will determine the final Salute to Service Award recipient. The judging panel includes:
- Major General (Ret.) Bob Whittle, USAA Senior Vice President, Head of Military Affairs and Army veteran
- George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers tight end and 2024 Salute to Service Award recipient
- Chad Hennings, Air Force Academy graduate and three-time Super Bowl champion
- Jim Mora, Sr., Marine Corps veteran and former NFL head coach
- Christina Dorfler, NFL Chief Financial Officer and Army veteran
Through the league's Salute to Service initiative, the NFL and its teams unite to honor, empower and connect with service members, veterans and their families. To learn more about the Salute to Service Award presented by USAA, please visit NFL.com/Salute.
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