FRISCO, Texas - The NFL and USAA, an official NFL Salute to Service partner, announced Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson as one of three finalists for the 15th annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.
Ferguson is being recognized for his exceptional efforts to honor and support members of the military community. The Salute to Service Award winner will be recognized at NFL Honors on February 5 during Super Bowl LX in San Francisco. The other two finalists are Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones, Sr. and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
"It is humbling to be recognized like this in relation to honoring our veterans and service members," said Ferguson. "Having the privilege to salute them and amplify the core values they represent to others is something that inspires me. I am deeply grateful for their service and the sacrifices they have made that benefit all of us."
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.
"We are incredibly proud of Jake for being recognized as a finalist for the Salute to Service Award," said Cowboys Chief Brand Officer and Co-Owner, Charlotte Jones. "His dedication to honoring and connecting with service members, veterans and their families through the National Medal of Honor Museum and the NFL Character Playbook Salute to Service Events truly exemplifies what it means to lead with heart and commitment both on and off the field."
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 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."
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 with the Cowboys.
- 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.
Below is an overview of Ferguson's exceptional efforts to honor and support members of the military community:
Since being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 Tight End Jake Ferguson has worked to honor, empower and connect service members, veterans and families during Salute to Service Week and throughout the year.
Ferguson honors the sacrifices of National Medal of Honor (MOH) recipients by supporting the National Medal of Honor Museum (NMOHM) and its mission to inspire America and create a future generation of character-driven leaders. Through his Salute to Service support, Ferguson aims to empower youth with the values that accompany service.
In 2024, Ferguson joined NMOHM President and CEO Chris Cassidy, MOH recipient U.S. Navy SEAL Master Chief (Ret.) Britt Slabinski and Washington Commanders Legend Josh Morgan for a national Character Playbook LIVE discussion on commitment at AT&T Stadium with 900 students attending in-person and thousands logged-in virtually.
Ferguson participated in a similar event this Fall at the recently opened NMOHM that explored the topic of integrity with MOH recipient U.S. Army Private First Class (Ret.) James McCloughan and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Brooklyn.
This Fall, Ferguson connected with a MOH recipient to design his My Cause My Cleats and gifted the recipient with a custom pair of NMOHM-themed Nike shoes accompanied by an invitation to attend the November 23 My Cause My Cleats game at AT&T Stadium. Additionally, Ferguson and his fiancée Haley Cavinder surprised MOH recipient U.S. Army Specialist (Ret.) Salvatore Giunta with brunch at the at The Star in Frisco. The couple presented Giunta with two tickets to Super Bowl LX. Ferguson also teamed up with Fanatics to honor three veterans with custom Cowboys gear as part of Salute to Service.
