Matthew Stafford, Sean Payton, Mike Macdonald Headline 2026 NFL Salute to Service Award Finalists

Three different Super Bowl champions headline the list of finalists for the 2026 NFL Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald are all finalists for the annual award. Each team has a finalist for the award that recognizes those who support the military community  

Here is a look at the full list of finalists.

Team	Finalist
Arizona Cardinals	Elijah Higgins, TE
Atlanta Falcons	Jerious Norwood, Legend
Baltimore Ravens	Ben Kotwica, ST coach
Buffalo Bills	Spencer Brown, OL
Carolina Panthers	Devin Lloyd, LB
Chicago Bears	Josh Blackwell, DB
Cincinnati Bengals	Landon Robinson, DT
Cleveland Browns	Benjamin Boswell, Doctor
Dallas Cowboys	Jake Ferguson, TE
Denver Broncos	Sean Payton, Head Coach
Detroit Lions	Dave Fipp, ST Coordinator
Green Bay Packers	Lukas Van Ness, DE
Houston Texans	Woody Marks, RB
Indianapolis Colts	Luke Rhodes, LS
Jacksonville Jaguars	Rayuan Lane III, S
Kansas City Chiefs	Kendall Gammon, Legend
Las Vegas Raiders	Adam Butler, DT
Los Angeles Chargers	Cameron Dicker, K
Los Angeles Rams	Matthew Stafford, QB
Miami Dolphins	Jacob Rodriguez, LB
Minnesota Vikings	Aaron Jones, RB
New England Patriots	Reggie Gilliam, FB
New Orleans Saints	W. Stephen Choate, Head Team Physician
New York Giants	Allison Stangeby, VP Community Relations
New York Jets	Tony Richardson, Legend
Philadelphia Eagles	Rachel Washburn, Cheerleader Alumna
Pittsburgh Steelers	Jon Kolb, Legend
San Francisco 49ers	Brant Boyer, ST Coordinator
Seattle Seahawks	Mike Macdonald, Head Coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ben Bredeson, OL
Tennessee Titans	Jacob Martin, DE
Washington Commanders	Tyler Ott, LS

Fans will have the opportunity to vote on the winner by visiting NFL.com/SaluteFanVote. That voting will help decide the three finalists, and the winner will be named at NFL Honors during the week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

The fans aren't the only ones who will have a say in the winner, as San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey is joining the Salute to Service Award panel that will decide the winner.

McCaffrey took home the award last year thanks to the Christian McCaffrey Foundation's 23 and Troops initiative that provides athlete-level physical and mental care for the military community.

USAA will donate $25,000 in honor of this year's winner to official aid societies, while the NFL Foundation will match the contribution to the winner's military nonprofit charity of choice.

While it remains to be seen who will take home the award this season, Stafford, Payton and Macdonald are headline names. 

Stafford has supported the military community in a number of ways, including through his support for the Rams' military flag football tournament and by hosting those preparing to enlist in the military and presenting them with the opportunity to be recognized on the field.

He and his wife, Kelly, also worked with the Rams to help create "Honor Row," which was used to recognize Navy SEALS during one of the team's home games. Stafford also supported the American Red Cross' Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign and even appeared on a holiday card.

As for Payton, whose father served in the military, his advocacy includes supporting K9s for Warriors. Payton has supported the organization that pairs veterans with trained service dogs to help with mental health dating back to 2013 through the funding of training for a number of dogs. 

The Broncos head coach also used his Play It Forward Foundation to raise more than $200,000 for veteran programs and established a partnership between the team and K9s for Warriors to help Colorado veterans in particular.

Macdonald's father also served in the armed forces, and the Seahawks head coach supports the military community in a number of ways.

He brought the team to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to visit with service members, welcomed more than 50 Navy sailors and leaders to Seahawks practice, and even brought the U.S. Navy Blue Angels to speak with his team.