Justin Pugh, a Guard with the Arizona Cardinals, personifies every pillar of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign. He honors and appreciates the sacrifices made by veterans by understanding their distinctive sacrifices for the residents of this nation to have their freedom. Pugh reveals this appreciation for our veterans by the non-profit he helps known as Merging Vets and Gamers (MVP). He has performed an vital function within the MVP group by empowering veterans and NFL gamers to embrace their tales and experiences by connecting them with one another as soon as the veterans are not sporting their uniforms. MVP not too long ago held an occasion on the Cardinals coaching facility through which Justin participated in. The occasion featured a 30-minute exercise for the 53 veterans in attendance and was adopted by a roundtable dialogue concerning the psychological struggles that each the gamers and the veterans take care of. Pugh believes that having a “macho mentality” is all too frequent, not solely throughout the NFL but additionally throughout the navy neighborhood. Pugh, whose brother Michael presently serves in america Air Power, understands the psychological well being challenges that each gamers and veterans can expertise. His willingness to talk on the significance of psychological well being and share his personal story provides a variety of confidence to different veterans and gamers to talk up about problems with their very own. He needs to proceed to be an instance for veterans by step by step erasing the stigma that surrounds psychological well being.
Arthur Smith (Head Coach)
The son of a U.S. Marine Corps captain who served within the Vietnam Conflict, Coach Arthur Smith is an avid supporter of internet hosting navy occasions for the crew to attach with service members, veterans, and their households. In August, Smith took the crew to go to with cadets and tour the campus on the U.S. Navy Academy at West Level whereas the crew was in New York for his or her preseason sport. The gamers shared a meal with the Black Knights crew, hosted a walk-through at Michie Stadium, and toured the campus to study concerning the historical past and sacrifices of its alumni. Additionally, this previous summer season, Smith participated in a go to to Eglin Air Power Base in Destin, Florida. Smith, amongst different Falcons gamers and executives spent the day on the bottom, the place they toured the amenities, frolicked with quite a few navy members and had an opportunity to eat lunch with active-duty troopers. Most not too long ago, whereas the Atlanta Falcons crew was in Seattle for an away sport, Smith hosted a non-public viewing with gamers and native navy members for the brand new movie Devotion, a harrowing and galvanizing story of two Navy fighter pilots within the Korean Conflict. Additionally that week, the Falcons teamed up with the Seahawks and hosted a navy base go to on their break day to indicate appreciation to service members at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Moreover, the Falcons hosted navy veterans for a fishing match known as “Fishing with the Falcons” and hosted active-duty navy at Coaching Camp practices this summer season.
Jarrett Johnson (NFL Legend)
As an energetic participant, and since his retirement from the NFL in 2015, Ravens Legend Jarret Johnson has demonstrated a continuing dedication to honoring service members, veterans and their households. With the objective to make use of veterans, Johnson partnered with a service-disabled Air Power veteran to start out a Black Rifle Espresso franchise in Niceville, Florida. The franchise employs veterans, service members, spouses, and youngsters of navy members from all all over the world. Every month, Johnson makes use of his espresso store to host occasions that convey veterans collectively and permits them to debate points they’re dealing with similar to overcoming accidents, transitioning from navy life, job alternatives and extra. Johnson is an annual sponsor of SOF Missions, a non-profit that gives care to veterans with Put up Traumatic Stress Dysfunction (PTSD) and Traumatic Mind Harm (TBI) with the objective of ending veteran suicide. Each Memorial Day, Johnson organizes, sponsors and participates in varied navy fundraising exercises. In Might 2022, Johnson hosted “The Lu,” honoring Grasp Sgt. Luis Deleon-Figueroa who was killed Aug. 21, 2019, whereas deployed to Afghanistan. The occasion raised over $15,000 for the Particular Operations Warrior Basis. On Memorial Day 2021, Johnson raised almost $15,000 for the EOD Warrior Basis and Pipe Hitter Basis. The exercises that initially began in Johnson’s yard have grown into massive community-wide fundraising activations. Johnson repeatedly supplies management improvement and constructive motivation to the Army’s seventh Special Forces Group by varied talking engagements, taking pictures occasions, fishing journeys, veteran household cookouts and frequent participation in grueling bodily exercises with Special Forces groups. In 2021 and 2022, he accomplished the Special Forces Group Savage Loop ultramarathon, a 43-mile run across the Choctawatchee Bay in northwest Florida. Moreover in 2022, Johnson was named an Honorary Battalion Commander for the first Battalion, seventh Special Forces Group.
Reid Ferguson (Lengthy Snapper)
Reid Ferguson, Buffalo Payments Lengthy Snapper, demonstrates his honor and appreciation for our nation’s navy, veterans and their households by his steady involvement within the Buffalo neighborhood. Each of his grandfathers, Jim Seal and Robert Ferguson, nice uncle, Jerry Seale, and nice grandfather, Howard Seale, all served within the navy. In the course of the 2020 and 2021 Salute to Service weeks, Ferguson hosted a meet and greet blissful hour honoring navy members, veterans, and their households at a neighborhood brewery – which he will probably be internet hosting once more in November this season. The occasion benefited the Veterans One-Cease Middle of Western New York (WNY), which empowers veterans to attain financial well-being by providing holistic social and well being companies wanted to finish the transition from navy to civilian life. In the course of the 2019 Salute to Service pre-game ceremony, he held the full-field flag alongside 150+ energetic and former navy members through the nationwide anthem. In 2020, Ferguson and his teammates assembled Salute to Service present luggage that had been distributed to native navy organizations all through WNY. Final season, Ferguson chosen the Whirlwind Veterans and Warrior Retreat for his My Trigger My Cleats group. That group, positioned in Eden, NY, is a resiliency agricultural program established by veterans for veterans of all navy branches. This previous April, Ferguson launched Grills Mafia, a novel BBQ x Buffalo Payments attire line the place a portion of the proceeds are donated to WNY veteran charities.
Derrick Brown (Defensive Deal with)
Upon coming into the NFL in 2020 following an All-American profession at Auburn College, Carolina Panthers Defensive Deal with Derrick Brown was fast to present again to the navy neighborhood. Because the son of an Army service member, he noticed firsthand the exhausting work and dedication it takes to be on the entrance strains. Brown has partnered with the United Service Organizations (USO)of North Carolinaand helps theWounded Warrior Challenge(WWP) for the NFL’s My Clause My Cleats initiative. Brown’s navy ties are private, and he takes the sacrifices of others to coronary heart. “We put in a variety of exhausting work and dedication on the sphere however on the finish of the day, we aren’t on the entrance strains,” stated Brown. “We thank these women and men, and everybody else who’s served. Salute to Service for me is a time to acknowledge women and men serving proper now, going abroad, and protecting us protected at residence. That is our time to acknowledge and honor them.” Brown continues his on-going assist for navy personnel by offering meal service reduction for veterans dealing with meals insecurity. He additionally engages with service members throughout annual coaching camp visits, in addition to different morale-boosting occasions supporting navy personnel within the Carolinas.
Cody Whitehair (Offensive Lineman)
As a veteran chief on the crew and one among our crew captains, Cody Whitehair persistently helps the neighborhood and significantly members of the navy. He has participated in previous Salute to Service week occasions, together with a luncheon at Halas Corridor with veterans from the Midwest Veterans Homeless Shelter. In partnership with Campbell’s Soup and Jewel-Osco, Whitehair served lunch and frolicked attending to know the women and men who served our nation. This season, for the primary time, he participated in our Dwelling Staff Hand-Off ticket donation program by buying 4 tickets to every Bears residence sport and donating them to our Boeing Navy Salute honorees and their households. At every Bears residence sport, a deserving member of the navy is honored in an on-field recognition through the third quarter. The Navy Salute supplies the chance for the Bears, Boeing, and our nice followers to present thanks and present assist to those that defend our nation and to additionally honor the historical past and heritage of Soldier Area. Whitehair has enhanced this system not solely by personally donating tickets, however moreover by giving every honoree one among his signed jerseys as a reminiscence of the day. He plans to proceed his navy assist by participating in our crew’s Salute to Service occasions all through the month of November.
Cincinnati Bengals Tight Finish Hayden Hurst has been a rising nationwide voice within the psychological well being therapy, consciousness and advocacy neighborhood since sharing his story of battling despair and anxiousness in 2020. That 12 months, he and his household produced a video with a message to Marines in assist of Suicide Prevention Month, which helped introduce Hurst to the psychological, emotional and psychological challenges confronted by present and former navy members. Since then, he has remained devoted to veteran outreach, working with a number of organizations across the nation by the Hayden Hurst Household Basis. Hurst pledged $20,000 to Prime Dogg K9 Basis, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that trains and pairs service canine with disabled veterans scuffling with psychological well being challenges post-deployment. On the third annual Hayden Hurst Household Basis Golf Event held in February, Hurst and his mom, Cathy, labored with Acadia Healthcare to fly in a foursome of navy sufferers that had been honored earlier than taking part within the occasion. Proceeds from the match benefited the Youth Disaster Middle, a corporation that helps kids with despair and anxiousness in Hurst’s hometown of Jacksonville, FL. In August, Hurst partnered with the Cincinnati-based Armed Forces Tickets Affiliation to supply 4 tickets for an active-duty service member and their household to look at the Bengals’ preseason sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams at Paycor Stadium. The Hayden Hurst Household Basis is actively collaborating with Acadia Healthcare to host military-appreciation occasions within the Better Cincinnati space, whereas additionally working with the behavioral well being science division on the College of South Carolina, Hurst’s alma mater, on navy engagement tasks.
All through his time with the Browns, Guard Wyatt Teller has honored, empowered, and linked with the navy neighborhood in Northern Ohio. Teller is the son of retired Army Reserve Main Rick Teller so supporting navy members and their households is a trigger that’s private to him. “I am grateful for the folks abroad and for the women and men who preserve us protected,” stated Teller throughout an interview. “These individuals are those who’re placing their lives on the road for us and for what our society believes is correct.” In 2021, Teller supported the Inexperienced Beret Basis, which supplies U.S. Army Special Forces troopers and their households with emergency, quick and ongoing assist. Moreover, Teller performed an enormous function in stunning the household of a servicewoman with a $50,000 grand prize verify as a part of the Browns’ and CrossCountry Mortgage’s sweepstakes. Teller at all times prioritizes honoring our navy whereas they’re on the Browns campus, together with this offseason at OTAs and Coaching Camp. Throughout each, the crew hosted over 200 navy members, and Teller was in a position to spend time with every particular person after observe. Moreover, Teller took the time after observe someday of Coaching Camp to attach with a fan and FaceTime with the 35-year member of the U.S. Army who was stationed in Saudi Arabia. The longer term has many plans in place for Teller in terms of empowering navy members, together with assist of the USS Cleveland, which will probably be docked in Cleveland in 2024, when Teller will probably be concerned in making this particular for the ship’s sailors.
Dan Quinn (Defensive Coordinator)
Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn’s long-time assist of service members, veterans and their households demonstrates the Salute to Service tenants to honor, empower and join with people who protect our freedoms. Quinn honors those that serve by donating his time to causes that help the navy neighborhood. Quinn’s historical past of assist stems from his private interactions with people who dedicate their lives to service, from childhood pals to members of the family to likelihood encounters with veterans. Whereas with the Seahawks, Quinn based “Quinn’s Corps” – a program to honor service members. Whereas teaching the Falcons, Quinn expanded this system to incorporate crew United Service Organizations (USO) excursions and sport visits for Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS). Now with the Cowboys, Quinn empowers the navy neighborhood by being a voice of assist and encouragement to veterans and active-duty service members. Quinn steadily engages with Merging Vets and Gamers (MVP) and joins the crew in internet hosting exercises and psychological well being discussions with native veterans that deal with the challenges that fight veterans and former athletes face in transition. The connection that Quinn is forming with native navy companions carries over into his day-to-day teaching function. In Might 2022, Quinn joined Basic Paul E. Funk II, Commanding Basic of the U.S. Army Coaching and Doctrine Command for a Chief Skilled Growth webinar. In the course of the session, Quinn spoke about staying resilient by adversity and creating a unified squad whereas working with folks of various backgrounds and experiences.
Michael Purcell (Defensive Lineman)
Denver Broncos Defensive Lineman Michael Purcell is dedicated to honoring, empowering and connecting with our nation’s service members, veterans and their households. For 4 consecutive seasons (2019-22), Purcell has honored Wounded Warrior Challenge (WWP) for the NFL’s My Trigger My Cleats initiative saying, “That is actually only a shout out and thanks for many who have served our nation and sacrificed a lot.” Taking it a step additional, as a part of the initiative in 2019, Purcell visited with a neighborhood veterans enterprise useful resource group to thank them for his or her service and share his cleats. In 2021 he unveiled his cleats on the WWP Colorado Springs workplace, showcasing the phrases of encouragement he chosen for warriors. Annually he has auctioned his cleats to profit WWP, matching the full in 2021 and elevating greater than $3,310 over the primary three years for WWP’s mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred a bodily or psychological damage, diseases, or wound, co-incident to navy service. He additionally helped lead a digital crew go to with WWP in November of 2020, offering a possibility for gamers and veterans to attach throughout Salute to Service month. In Might 2021, he participated in a “Wingman Week Digital Go to” with Buckley Air Power Base and United Service Organizations (USO) Colorado, with a objective to empower service members, strengthen connections, and rejuvenate the preventing spirit. Throughout his restricted break from soccer forward of the crew’s 2022 coaching camp, Purcell was one among two featured gamers to go to with and honor native service members on a USAA Salute to Service caravan.
Eric Hipple is a former NFL Quarterback whose ten-year profession was spent with the Detroit Lions. Since his 15-year-old son Jeff’s suicide in 2000, Hipple has devoted his life to constructing consciousness and breaking down the stigma surrounding depressive diseases. Hipple is a recipient of the celebrated Lifetime Achievement Award introduced by the American Basis for Suicide Prevention and quite a few different awards for his community-based work combating adolescent despair and suicide whereas lowering the stigma related to disabilities. His dedication to serving to others enhance their high quality of life is demonstrated by work with quite a few organizations. Hipple’s message of resilience has offered psychological health consciousness to service members, legislation enforcement officers, skilled teams, and college students. He has offered workshops with the Navy’s U.S. Fleet Forces Command on suicide prevention and damaging habits over the past 12 years. These suicide prevention workshops for the U.S. Navy are performed at bases on the East Coast, in Europe and within the Center East. Moreover, Hipple has performed suicide prevention workshops for quite a few models throughout the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Power over the earlier twenty years. His 2008 ebook Actual Males Do Cry: A Quarterback’s Inspiring Story of Tackling Melancholy and Surviving Suicide Loss acquired a writer Presidential Award. Hipple presently serves as Outreach Specialist for the Middle for Neurological Research, a analysis and medical basis serving navy veterans and former NFL gamers. Hipple organized the “After the Affect” therapy program on the Michigan-based Eisenhower Middle that locations veterans and NFL legends collectively in a 30-day inpatient keep. Hipple continues his service by serving on the boards for Vet Life, a corporation devoted to serving to veterans transition to civilian life-style, and the Michigan Heroes Museum.
Daryn Colledge (NFL Legend)
Chosen by the Packers out of Boise State within the second spherical of the 2006 NFL Draft, the sturdy Offensive Lineman Daryn Colledge spent 5 seasons with the crew. After retiring from the NFL in 2015, Colledge enlisted within the Idaho Nationwide Guard in 2016 as a UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter repairer. “I at all times wished to return again and serve, and I had an important alternative to do this,” stated Colledge. “It was like being again in a locker room, simply being with a gaggle of people that had the identical objective as you and had been striving for a similar consequence…I discovered that crew and that brotherhood once more within the navy that I had been lacking. Totally different targets and penalties, however a crew nonetheless.” Rising up in North Pole, Alaska, Colledge was surrounded by navy bases and members of the family serving, together with his brother. He continued fostering that navy connection whereas enjoying soccer, touring as a part of a Navy Leisure journey in 2011 with the Packers and becoming a member of United Service Organizations (USO) excursions when he may. In 2018, he was deployed to Afghanistan for 9 months, serving as a mechanic, door gunner, medic assistant and hoist operator. His four-person medical evacuation unit had to answer quite a lot of calls to assist convey troopers residence safely. Since getting back from Afghanistan, Colledge continued serving within the Nationwide Guard by April of 2022. He now serves as a reservist whereas working for his alma mater, Boise State. “The NFL allowed me the chance to handle my household and do issues I by no means imagined potential. But it surely additionally gave me the chance to enter into service not as an obligation, however as one thing I may do for myself,” stated Colledge.
The Houston Texans group has a proud custom of honoring those that serve, and one among our biggest champions for the trigger is the Houston Texans Cheerleaders. The Texans Cheerleaders have at all times devoted their time and abilities to honoring service members. Because the inception of the franchise, the Texans Cheerleaders have devoted their time and abilities to honoring service members by supporting organizations similar to United Service Organizations (USO), Wounded Warrior Challenge (WWP), Operation Lastly Dwelling,Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS),Tuesday’s Kidsand plenty of others. In 2019, the Texans Cheerleaders traveled abroad with Armed Forces Leisure headlining the Salute to Service Tremendous Bowl 10-day Tour that visited the Al Dahfra Air Power Base within the United Arab Emirates, bases in Qatar, and Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. The tour featured the Texans Cheerleaders together with 4 Texans Legends who carried out 60-minute reveals. The Cheerleaders frolicked attending to know the service members and listening to their tales, happening base excursions, going by simulation workout routines, enjoying flag soccer and sitting right down to pay attention as they spoke about their pals and households again residence. Supporting girls veterans is a trigger that’s of specific significance to the Texans Cheerleaders. Previous to the pandemic, Texans Cheerleaders and alumni of this system volunteered with theGirls of the Armed Forces and Veteran Empowerment (W.A.V.E.) Marketing campaignto package deal and distribute much-needed undergarments, pajamas and luxury objects to girls receiving therapy within the native Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital. Extra occasions embrace visiting theUSO Middle at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport to ship meals to service members and volunteers, stepping as much as distribute turkeys and Thanksgiving meals to households at Ellington Area Joint Reserve Base, offering lunches for Nationwide Guard and Army Reserve troops coming residence, and welcoming again 120 service members from a nine-month abroad deployment.
Brian Decker (Membership Workers – Director of Staff Growth)
Brian Decker, Indianapolis Colts Director of Staff Growth, has constantly embodied the values of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign throughout his tenure with the crew by honoring, empowering, and connecting with service members, veterans, and their households. Decker, a former Lieutenant Colonel within the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, prioritizes mentorship with navy recruits and veterans. He assists the Indiana Nationwide Guard by supporting recruiting efforts by talking engagements. This previous August, Decker spoke to the Indianapolis Army Recruiting Battalion Future Soldier Recognition Program. He conjures up recruits by highlighting the chance to serve whereas inspiring and motivating them to make the transition into the navy. Decker has additionally grow to be a mentor for service members who bear the method of transitioning out of the navy into different areas similar to sports activities and the non-public sector. He makes a number of calls every week with veterans to share his story and to supply steerage. Decker relates with veterans concerning challenges they face following navy service whereas encouraging psychological well-being. Along with his involvement in recruiting and mentorship, Decker speaks with America’s Gold Star Households at Colts residence video games, serving as a supply of encouragement and therapeutic for households who misplaced family members in navy service.
Paul Posluszny (NFL Legend)
All through his NFL profession and since retiring in 2018, Jaguars Legend Linebacker Paul Posluszny supported varied Jaguars Salute to Service marketing campaign activations in northeast Florida to honor, empower and join with service members, veterans and their households. In the course of the NFL’s 2017 My Trigger My Cleats Marketing campaign, Posluszny devoted his cleats to the Pat Tillman Basis (PTF) to assist convey consciousness on the massive stage and donated the proceeds again to the PTF to honor Pat Tillman as a participant and soldier. Posluszny additionally participated within the Jaguars “Execs vs GI Joes” occasion to attach with active-duty service members in-person and abroad in a online game show-down offering troops a night of enjoyable and pleasant competitors. Posluszny has an enormous coronary heart for our navy and continues to empower our service members by visiting and supporting K9s for Warriors in Jacksonville, a corporation that gives extremely educated service canine to navy veterans affected by PTSD, traumatic mind damage and/or navy sexual trauma. Moreover, he helps the Jaguars, alongside neighborhood accomplice St. Michael’s Troopers, to supply 1000 navy care packages to active-duty service members oversees annually, leaving a heartfelt notice in every field he packages.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Operating Again)
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs Operating Again Clyde Edwards-Helaire personifies every part of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign to honor, empower and join service members, veterans and their households. That is due to his upbringing in a navy family that was targeted on construction and willpower. His mom, Tonge, joined the U.S. Army in 1996, whereas his stepfather, Shannon, enlisted with the Marine Corps in 1989. The couple met as every was serving as drill instructors on the Elayn Hunt Correctional Middle in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, marrying in 2002. “Being at residence with my navy mother and navy dad, I assume that is type of the place my aggressive nature comes,” Edwards-Helaire famous shortly after he was chosen within the first spherical of the 2020 NFL Draft. “Simply having that upbringing figuring out when occasions obtained exhausting, nothing can break you.” Shortly after his arrival with the Chiefs, he targeted his charitable efforts on supporting these within the navy. One manifestation of these efforts is seen by his earlier work with the Blue Star Households’ “Thank You, Navy” Sweepstakes, through which navy members entered for an opportunity to win a Sleep Quantity 360 sensible mattress. On account of this marketing campaign, Edwards-Helaire personally shocked the Henke household of the U.S. Army with a brand-new Sleep Quantity 360 sensible mattress and extra merchandise. Moreover, he raises funds in assist of Mates In Service of Heroes (FISH), a corporation that goals to advocate for assist and consciousness of the sacrifices our service members make. He is additionally a mainstay when the Chiefs have interaction with the navy, together with at its annual Navy Appreciation Day yearly throughout coaching camp. “Lots of people are inclined to put navy folks on the backburner, particularly these veterans,” he not too long ago famous. “At all times having that in thoughts is near my coronary heart.”
Jay Schroeder (NFL Legend)
The Las Vegas Raiders are proud to appoint alumnus Jay Schroeder for the 2022 Salute to Service Award introduced by USAA. Schroeder performed 5 seasons with the Raiders as a beginning quarterback and spent 11 years total within the NFL. Schroeder now lives in Las Vegas and embodies every tenant of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign to honor, empower and join service members, veterans and their households. Throughout his tenure with the crew, each as a participant and now as an alumnus, Schroeder frequently has proven assist for the neighborhood and the Raiders’ navy companions. He most not too long ago participated within the USAA Bootcamp held at Allegiant Stadium for over 100 service members from Creech and Nellis Air Power Bases, each of that are positioned in Southern Nevada. Schroeder has engaged with the Seats for Troopers program members on a number of events over the past three years. Jay works with a ranch in Southern Nevada, the place he helps advocate and lift cash for The Liberty Tasks, a charitable group that empowers veterans as a part of its work to save lots of America’s wild mustangs. The ranch supplies veterans with an outlet to work together with horses for coaching, rehabilitation and camaraderie. Schroeder was additionally a part of the primary civilian group to go to Nevada’s navy bases on the onset of the pandemic when he helped increase the morale of service members by signing autographs and delivering Raiders gear.
Morgan Fox (Defensive Lineman)
The appreciation for our nation’s navy members and veterans extends far past the sphere for Chargers Defensive Lineman Morgan Fox. All through his life, Fox has witnessed firsthand what it means to be part of a navy household. Three generations of members of the family together with Fox’s father, stepfather, and father-in-law have proudly served and noticed fight duties which have impacted his life. This has influenced Fox’s philanthropic outlook and want to present again to navy and veteran communities. On the sphere, Fox has raised consciousness and funds by the NFL’s My Trigger My Cleats initiative for nonprofit organizations together with Wounded Warrior Challenge (WWP), Merging Vets and Gamers (MVP), One Tribe Basis (Formally 22KILL), and Conflict Heroes on Water. These organizations assist and help veterans in overcoming psychological and emotional struggles that they face as soon as their service has ended. Fox has labored for years with the WWP on a number of occasions, together with taking part in exercise occasions, being a featured speaker, and sitting down with wounded warriors to listen to and perceive their experiences firsthand. Fox’s assist of the navy and our nation’s veterans will proceed in 2022 with particular occasions deliberate for the crew’s Salute to Service initiatives. Fox will probably be elevating funds by his merchandise line – with all proceeds going to assist the WWP – and will probably be internet hosting wounded warriors on the Chargers observe facility in November.
Rob Havenstein (Offensive Deal with)
The Los Angeles Rams are proud to appoint beginning Offensive Deal with and Tremendous Bowl Champion Rob Havenstein for the 2022 NFL Salute to Service Award introduced by USAA. Havenstein was drafted by the Rams in 2015 and has been making an influence each on and off the sphere ever since. Right here in Los Angeles, he has helped enrich the lives of service members, veterans and their households in a lot of methods for the reason that crew relocated in 2016. Havenstein has donated numerous tickets by our all-community ticket program to native navy organizations to permit service members and veterans an opportunity to attach with their native crew. Final 12 months, Havenstein even donated his suite to the households of the fallen service members we honored by our partnership with the Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS). Havenstein has supported a lot of navy and veteran organizations by the NFL’s My Trigger My Cleats initiative. This 12 months, Havenstein has chosen to honor Warrior Rising, a corporation that empowers U.S. navy veterans and their members of the family by offering them alternatives to create sustainable companies.
Blake Ferguson (Lengthy Snapper)
Impressed by his WWII Navy veteran nice grandfather and Air Power veteran greatest buddy, Blake Ferguson has fostered a deep navy appreciation all through his life. Because the Miami Dolphins drafted him in 2020, Blake instantly devoted his time, vitality and involvement to crew Salute to Service initiatives that honor, empower, and join with service members, veterans, and their households. He jumped at alternatives not solely to take part, but additionally to guide. In 2021, he hosted his first navy appreciation barbecue occasion for active-duty navy members and veterans in South Florida throughout Salute to Service week. He partnered with United Means of Broward County’s Mission United and the Miami Dolphins Meals Aid Program to distribute 800 Thanksgiving meals to Broward County’s navy veterans and energetic reserve members. Ferguson additionally attended the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami flag soccer sport between officers and enlisted service members and visited the air station later within the month to additional join with the Coast Guardsmen. He supported the Miami Dolphins Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS) households and continues to hunt each avenue to assist the navy neighborhood from crew and particular person outreach alternatives to messages of encouragement by social and digital media.
Ben Kotwica (Assistant Particular Groups Coordinator)
Ben Kotwica, Minnesota Vikings Assistant Particular Groups Coordinator, embodies every tenant of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign to honor, empower and join service members, veterans and their households. Coach Kotwica honors veterans and navy members by service of his personal. He’s a embellished officer who spent eight years within the U.S. Army after graduating from West Level. His navy profession included operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Korea and Iraq. Kotwica was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant within the Aviation Department of the Army and was chosen to fly the AH-64 Apache Longbow, the world’s high assault helicopter. He was an Assault Helicopter Platoon Chief in assist of the 82nd Airborne Division from 1998-2001 the place he was chargeable for the well being and welfare of 20 troopers. Coach Kotwica makes it some extent to honor the navy neighborhood by thanking navy visitors – veterans or in any other case – who attend video games. He is aware of firsthand the sacrifices every service member or veteran is required to make and is bound to acknowledge it every time he will get an opportunity. Being a veteran and NFL coach, Kotwica appreciates the Salute to Service marketing campaign every season in how the League honors, empowers, and connects with the courageous women and men who guarantee our freedom.
Demario Davis (Linebacker)
New Orleans Saints Linebacker Demario Davis comes from a household with intensive navy service and respect for its significance. His father, Steven Davis, is a veteran of 32 years within the U.S. Army, a former member of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, and had six fight excursions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Davis additionally has two cousins presently serving. Understanding the dedication required when a member of the family serves, Davis works with kids of active-duty service members by his Devoted Dreamers Basis, which makes a speciality of instructing younger folks vital life abilities. His newest dedication to youth within the New Orleans space, many with shut ties to the navy, is his Devoted Dreamers Academy that debuted in the beginning of the 2022-23 faculty 12 months. The academy is an after-school program, that includes tutoring, a seven-on-seven soccer crew, life abilities coaching and publicity to elements of sports activities enterprise administration. In 2021, Davis and 4 different NFL stars participated in an episode of Household Feud in opposition to a gaggle of NFL legends. Davis and his teammates donated their winnings to the Fisher Home Basis, a nonprofit that builds houses positioned at navy and Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities the place households can keep freed from cost whereas a beloved one is within the hospital. As a co-founder of the S.H.I.E.L.D 1 Basis, which goals to interrupt cycles of generational poverty by empowerment, Davis has a long-term imaginative and prescient to help veterans with companies together with long run well being and incapacity insurance coverage, psychological well being companies, skilled improvement, and monetary literacy. “I feel Celebrities and athletes get seemed as much as on a regular basis, however our navy are among the many actual heroes in our nation,” stated Davis. “These are the individuals who ought to be celebrated as heroes in our nation, who continuously lay their lives on the road for us to get pleasure from our freedom.”
Sergeant Kevin Farrell (Membership Workers)
Sergeant Kevin Farrell, New York Giants Safety, embodies the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign to honor, join and empower service members, veterans, and their households. Farrell honors the sacrifices made by navy personnel and veterans by sharing his personal experiences by quick tales. Whereas deployed in 2012 to Kabul, Afghanistan with the 508th Navy Police Firm, his first story about his relationship whereas within the navy was printed within the New York Occasions. After his second deployment in 2015 with the 328th Navy Police Firm to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Farrell grew to become a member of the New York College’s Iraq/Afghanistan Inventive Writing Group and was featured 3 times in Cornell College’s Literary Journal, EPOCH, for his tales about navy life. Sharing these tales speaks to the unbelievable sacrifice he is made for our nation and the way his service modified his life. In any case, it was books written by his favourite authors that impressed him to enlist within the first place. After his seven years serving within the U.S. Army had been over, Farrell discovered a strategy to proceed his work within the navy neighborhood. In 2016, he volunteered with a nonprofit known as Stand Down of North Jersey, which connects homeless navy veterans and their households with service suppliers that deal with their bodily, academic, employment and private wants. He was additionally a volunteer firefighter and medical first responder from 2007-2011 and volunteered with the AmeriCorps Nationwide Civilian Group Corps in 2009. Farrell not too long ago ran the Army Ten Miler race, which serves to empower service members, promote the Army and assist neighborhood relations, and he ran the Tunnel to Towers 5K to honor these lives misplaced throughout 9/11. Giving again to the neighborhood, particularly the navy neighborhood, is extraordinarily vital to him and he hopes his experiences encourage others to do the identical.
Harrison Bernstein (Former Intern Coach)
Harrison Bernstein, former New York Jets Intern Coach, based Troopers To Sidelines (STS), a nationally acknowledged 501c3 Veteran Service Group that gives a renewed sense of objective for Service Members, Veterans, Navy Spouses, and Gold Star Households to grow to be character-based sports activities coaches of their communities. The navy makes nice coaches due to their intensive coaching in management, motivation, and crew success. By additional educating and coaching Service Members, Veterans, and Navy Spouses to grow to be character-based coaches Bernstein’s group concurrently fills the necessity for higher teaching in sports activities and supplies veterans with purposeful work serving their communities. Troopers To Sidelines is constructing a military of veteran coaches that mannequin the U.S. navy values of responsibility, integrity, ethics, honor, braveness, and loyalty. Up to now, STS coaches have positively influenced roughly 45,000 younger athletes. Via their influence, veterans attain psychological well-being, connectedness, achievement and objective as they proceed to serve their nation as a coach. Most not too long ago Bernstein authored and printed a ebook known as The On a regular basis Coach: Harnessing the Magic of Affect. The ebook is offered free to each STS Coach and all earnings from gross sales assist the non-profit. Accompanying the ebook, Bernstein hosts a podcast known as Harrison Bernstein’s On a regular basis Coach, which highlights management classes discovered from navy heroes, enterprise executives, and coaches to steward the craft of teaching in on a regular basis life.
Jemal Singleton (Assistant Head Coach and Operating Backs Coach)
Jemal Singleton, the son of an Air Power Sergeant, adopted in his father’s footsteps when he started his navy profession on the Air Power Academy. A 3-year starter at working again for the Falcons, Singleton’s management led him to changing into one among solely six gamers in program historical past to be named a crew captain twice. Following his commencement from the Air Power Academy, he spent two years at Little Rock Air Power Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas, the place he served because the Chief of Media Relations. Throughout that point, he deployed to Tbilisi, Georgia, in assist of the Georgia Prepare and Equip Program (GTEP), an American-sponsored 18-month, $64-million program aimed toward growing the capabilities of the Georgian armed forces by coaching and equipping 4 600-man battalions with gentle weapons, autos, and communications. In 2003, he returned to the Air Power Academy to function the Govt Officer for former Director of Athletics, Ret. Col. Randy Spetman, earlier than becoming a member of the Air Power Soccer teaching employees. As a part of his ongoing dedication to service, he stays targeted on supporting veterans and navy efforts in the neighborhood. He has been concerned with a number of navy organizations, together with the Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS) and ChallengeTherapeutic Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF). Since becoming a member of the Eagles teaching employees because the working backs/assistant head coach in 2021, Singleton has persistently devoted his time to the navy neighborhood, from visiting veterans on the native Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital to spending time with navy members attending Eagles video games and practices.
John Wodarek (Membership Workers – Occasion Operations Supervisor)
Whereas John Wodarek manages a variety of the actions that happen at Acrisure Stadium because the Occasion Operations Supervisor, his actual ardour is doing all the things he can for the navy neighborhood within the Pittsburgh space. Wodarek, who’s the son of a veteran, embraces every pillar of the NFL’s Salute to Service marketing campaign to honor, empower, and join with our nation’s service members, veterans, and their households. He serves because the Steelers’ liaison with the navy neighborhood, working with varied organizations to help those that served our nation and proceed to serve. He works tirelessly to develop relationships with navy packages, companies, native bases, and veterans’ organizations. He coordinates with them to supply numerous alternatives, together with our “Heroes Evening Out” at Acrisure Stadium, the annual occasion which honors tons of of put up 9/11 veterans for his or her service and sacrifice. The U.S. Metal “Salute Our Heroes” occasion is an annual program which honors one veteran at every Steelers residence sport. Wodarek begins early within the offseason researching “unsung” heroes who do not usually get the popularity they deserve. He works with the veterans and their households to encourage them to share their tales and experiences with Steelers Nation. One among Wodarek’s most memorable experiences was working with native veterans to supply them with life altering service canine to empower them of their every day lives. His continued relationship with the Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Middle has opened doorways for veterans and given them hope and the understanding that individuals care. Wodarek’s work even extends to the households of navy members, which he helps by creating memorable reunion occasions for households with their deployed service members and arranging experiences for members of Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS) throughout coaching camp, Professional Bowl and even Tremendous Bowl journeys.
George Kittle (Tight Finish)
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers Tight Finish, has exemplified what it means to honor, empower, and join with navy members, veterans and their households since coming into the league. Kittle’s appreciation for the navy neighborhood is rooted in household along with his Uncle Pat, Grandfather Carl, and different family members who’ve served. He honors the sacrifices of service members and the efforts of navy nonprofits by the My Trigger My Cleats initiative, recognizing the Pat Tillman Basis (PTF) in 2018, Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS) from 2019 to 2021, and Merging Vets & Gamers (MVP) in 2022. Within the 2021 season, Kittle bought over 150 tickets to donate to the Nationwide Guard. This 12 months, he’ll host service members at each 49ers residence and away sport, extending his shows of appreciation nationwide. In 2020, Kittle and his household based the Hidden Pearls Podcast (HPP) to attach with navy veterans to unite the world by storytelling. Just lately, HPP joined “Diving With Heroes” in Cozumel to mirror on the advantages of scuba diving by veterans, particularly these with bodily disabilities. Kittle donated over $25,000 to charities chosen by hosted veterans on the podcast final season. Kittle empowers service members and their family members through the use of his ardour for soccer and teamwork to encourage others to beat adversity. Since constructing a relationship with TAPS on the 2018 Professional Bowl, Kittle has sustained long run relationships with households who’ve misplaced a beloved one to service. After gifting the household of fallen Army Sergeant Martin LaMar tickets to Tremendous Bowl LIV, Kittle has spent a number of seasons reconnecting with the LaMars by internet hosting them at Coaching Camp practices. LaMar’s purple coronary heart medal, gifted to Kittle by LaMar’s household in 2020, nonetheless hangs in Kittle’s locker as a reminder of the sacrifices made by our nation’s heroes.
John Schneider (Basic Supervisor and Govt Vice President)
Seattle Seahawks Basic Supervisor John Schneider dedicates his time to the native navy neighborhood by honoring, empowering, and connecting with service members, veterans, and their households. Since 2012, he has bought and donated 4 tickets per residence sport to native navy service members who’ve not too long ago acquired navy honors or accolades. New this 12 months, he added sideline passes to the expertise and made the service members his private visitors, spending time with every attendee on the sidelines pregame. Past the person recognition and time spent with Schneider, this program is valued at over $18,000. As a part of the crew’s Merging Vets & Gamers (MVP) organizational huddles, Schneider repeatedly speaks brazenly and candidly to the group about his personal father’s navy service and the way being a part of a navy household impacted his life. In the course of the crew’s particular “Navy Day” at Seahawks Coaching Camp, Schneider greeted greater than 100 service members in attendance and cheered them on through the crew’s USAA Navy Mix occasion following observe. Schneider was additionally the featured speaker on the Seahawks’ 2022 Change of Command Ceremony to formally welcome the crew’s honored navy unit for the 2022 season. On the occasion, Schneider addressed greater than 300 Marines and sailors at Bangor Trident Base to bolster the Seahawks’ dedication to the native navy neighborhood and talk a message of inspiration, assist and appreciation for his or her sacrifices and dedication to our nation. Schneider helps the crew’s year-round dedication to the navy neighborhood that features inviting over 700 navy service members to our residence video games, veteran assist by our Job Power 12 non-profit organizations, and distinctive alternatives for all the navy neighborhood.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Middle Ryan Jensen makes Salute to Service efforts a precedence by relationships, outreach packages and gameday initiatives. Jensen’s grandfather served in Vietnam and Korea as a member of the Army’s a hundred and first Airborne Division. Jensen’s uncle adopted his footsteps into the Army, and Jensen’s adopted brother served within the Marine Corps. In 2014, Jensen made a particular bond with a 5‐12 months‐outdated boy named Cooper, whose father was tragically killed in motion earlier than Cooper was born. Via the Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS), Jensen remained involved with the household. For the previous a number of years, he has honored Cooper and TAPS by the NFL’s My Trigger My Cleats initiative, bringing consciousness and assist to Gold Star Households who’re grieving the lack of a member within the armed forces. Yearly, Jensen has supported the Buccaneers’ Schwarzkopf Navy Household of the Yr Awards, which honors navy households from every department of the navy. He has additionally visited MacDill Air Power Base in Tampa by the United Service Organizations (USO) Central Florida to advertise fundraising efforts for the Particular Operations Warrior Basis and lead the crew’s assist for Navy Day at Coaching Camp. Jensen has donated almost $60,000 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Basis for his neighborhood ticket program “Jensen’s G.I. Joes,” which supplies memorable gameday experiences for navy households. Over the previous 12 months, Jensen discovered a brand new and distinctive strategy to make an influence when he linked with Southeastern Information Canines to supply a $75,000 donation to sponsor three service canine that can present companionship and every day help for service members recovering from damage. This effort, together with visiting native Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and internet hosting zoom calls to assist energetic‐responsibility navy households, is one other instance of the best way the Bucs’ Middle continues to present again to the native navy neighborhood.
Clifford Thomas (Membership Workers – Operations Technician)
Clifford (Cliff) Thomas is an Operations Technician for the Tennessee Titans who performs an important function within the upkeep and operations of Nissan Stadium, residence of the Titans. Most significantly, Thomas served three years, six months and 21 days in america Army. Throughout his time within the navy, he fought bravely abroad for america within the Vietnam Conflict. He has remained near lots of his pals from his time within the navy. Over time, Thomas has utilized his ardour for younger folks to develop and facilitate mentoring packages for the youngsters of his comrades. With a powerful emphasis on psychological well being and workforce improvement, he deliberately coaches every particular person on creating and reaching life targets by a dedication to well being and wellness. He additionally spends intensive time through the holidays working intently with Toys for Tots along with his pals from the Nashville veteran neighborhood. Along with his direct assist of the navy neighborhood, he spends his time volunteering at Second Harvest Meals Financial institution of Center Tennessee, which serves a lot of native veterans. The Tennessee Titans thank Cliff Thomas for his years of devoted service to this nation, and his continued assist and dedication to our group.
Via each hardship and problem, Coach Rivera credit his success within the face of adversity to his navy upbringing and the values instilled in him rising up the son of a 32-year-career Commissioned Officer of the U. S. Army, Eugenio Rivera. Rivera has spent everything of his 11-year profession as a Head Coach giving again to a navy neighborhood that has outlined his success as a frontrunner within the league. He has continued his nice work with the navy by becoming a member of in a lot of initiatives this 12 months. In Might, Rivera, Commanders gamers Jonathan Allen and Jamin Davis, and Co-Proprietor and Co-CEO Tanya Snyder shocked departing troops with a go to at BWI Airport the place the crew handed out care packages to troops as they waited to board their planes. Rivera additionally took time in coaching camp to go to with over 250 energetic and former members of the navy on the membership’s Salute to Service Day. Moreover, he introduced all the crew to Joint Base Andrews for a observe in entrance of the troops earlier than the primary preseason sport and hosted 9 wounded/paralyzed veterans at Operation Warrior Needs in Coaching Camp. Rivera hosted Tragedy Help Program for Survivors (TAPS) households on the OrthoVirginia Coaching Middle at Commanders Park for the second 12 months in a row. He’s additionally donating all of the proceeds from his appearances on the league-wide SiriusXM NFL Radio channel to the United Service Organizations (USO).
