Christian McCaffrey Announced as a Finalist for the 15th Annual NFL Salute to Service Award
San Francisco 49ers
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."