The NFL and USAA, an official NFL Salute to Service partner, announced on Friday the 2024 nominees for the annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. Each year, the Salute to Service Award recognizes NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who make exceptional efforts to honor and support military and veteran communities. This year's Buffalo Bills representative is special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley.
"USAA and the NFL founded the Salute to Service Award to celebrate the impactful military appreciation efforts throughout the league and to inspire fans to do the same," said Major General (Ret.) John Richardson, USAA senior vice president and head of military affairs. "It's our mission to bring greater awareness to the commitment and sacrifice embodied by the military community, and each Salute to Service nominee sets an example of how we can all show our appreciation in return.
Fans once again have an opportunity to vote for their favorite nominee, all of whom are selected by their respective NFL team, to help determine the award's three finalists. To see all the nominees and cast your vote, visit NFL.com/SaluteFanVote from now until November 30. Fans can submit one vote per day for their favorite nominee. The three finalists will be announced in January, and the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally in February during the week of Super Bowl LIX.
Smiley embodies each tenant of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative to honor, empower and connect service members, veterans, and their families. Prior to his coaching career and just months before the attacks on 9/11, Coach Smiley served in the U.S. Air Force for four years as a maintenance officer. While on active duty, Smiley was deployed to combat zones four times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal for his efforts. In between deployments, he served as a football coach for specialists at the University of North Dakota. Smiley's father, John Smiley, also served in the Air Force and retired as a colonel. Since Smiley joined the Bills, he has contributed military initiatives in the Buffalo community. In 2023, Smiley joined 49 local veterans on the Bills' annual honor flight trip to Washington D.C. to visit national memorials and pay tribute to their service and sacrifice. Matthew and his wife, Marissa, consistently support Western New York Heroes during the holiday season with adopt-a-family programs. WNY Heroes support veterans and their families with essential services and resources. Coach Smiley's dedication to the military community and his own service truly embodies the NFL Salute to Service initiative
Last year's award recipient was New England Patriots long-snapper Lieutenant Joe Cardona. As an officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve and active NFL player, Cardona has consistently engaged in initiatives aimed at celebrating and honoring active-duty service members and veterans throughout his ten-year NFL career. Cardona will serve on the award panel that selects the 2024 Salute to Service Award recipient once the three finalists are determined by the fan vote.
Additional panel members include Chad Hennings, Air Force Academy graduate and three-time Super Bowl champion; Jim Mora, Sr., Marine Corps veteran and former NFL head coach; Lenny Bandy, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and NFL Vice President of Security; and Major General (Ret.) John Richardson, USAA Senior Vice President and head of Military Affairs.
As the presenting sponsor of the Salute to Service Award, USAA, a leading provider of insurance, banking and other 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 will match USAA's contribution by donating an additional $25,000 to the awardee's military or veteran charity of choice.
The Salute to Service Award is part of the NFL and USAA's year-round commitment to recognize and honor the military and veteran community. Through the Salute to Service initiative, the NFL and its 32 teams come together to honor, empower and connect with service members, veterans and their families. Salute to Service will come to life in NFL stadiums across the country during Weeks 10-12 of the regular season through on-field branding and other game day activations. Visit NFL.com/Salute to learn more.
