NFL Teams Honor Players for Military Service Award Nominations

WHO:

commanders.com - Tyler Ott, a Washington Commanders long snapper and NFL veteran, was named the Commanders’ 2026 nominee for the NFL Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.

giants.com - Allison Stangeby, the Giants’ vice president of community and corporate relations and a military mom, was named the Giants’ nominee and one of 32 league nominees.

dallascowboys.com - Tight end Jake Ferguson was named the Cowboys’ nominee. Charlotte Jones, Cowboys chief brand officer and co-owner, called his commitment “authentic, consistent and impactful.”

buffalobills.com - Buffalo Bills right tackle Spencer Brown was named the team’s nominee. His older brother, Garrett, served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

giants.com - The award recognizes NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni supporting U.S. service members, veterans and their families; it is in its 16th year. Christian McCaffrey won last season, and John Harbaugh received it a decade earlier.

WHAT:

commanders.com - Ott said, “We can always do more.” He supports the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), an official military charity partner of the NFL, and chose it for his “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign for a second consecutive year. He also engaged with Merging Vets & Players (MVP) while with the Seattle Seahawks.

giants.com - Stangeby has supported military communities through re-enlistment ceremonies, flags flown at MetLife Stadium, donated game tickets, practice visits, and on-field “Military Moment” family surprises. She helped establish the Giants’ relationships with Wounded Warrior Project, Merging Vets and Players, Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Homeless Veterans Program, Puppies Behind Bars and HicksStrong.

dallascowboys.com - Ferguson supports the National Medal of Honor Museum (NMOHM), is scheduled to participate in its Salute to Service Character Playbook program, and visited NAS JRB Fort Worth with USAA. He also promotes NMOHM through “My Cause My Cleats” and partnered with Black Rifle Coffee Company on a campaign to eliminate veterans’ medical debt, contributing personally.

buffalobills.com - Brown participated in Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight, which takes veterans to Washington, D.C., memorials. He highlighted Mission 22 through “My Cause, My Cleats” in 2022 and 2025 and visited Buffalo VA Hospital during the Bills’ 2025 Salute to Service activities.

dallascowboys.com - USAA will donate $25,000 in the recipient’s name to official aid societies for all U.S. military branches; the NFL Foundation will match with $25,000 for the recipient’s chosen military nonprofit.

WHERE:

commanders.com - Ott’s nomination was announced during a visit to Joint Base Andrews.

giants.com - Stangeby’s work includes MetLife Stadium, the Giants’ New York-area community and the German international market.

dallascowboys.com - Ferguson visited NAS JRB Fort Worth; the NMOHM program connects with Arlington ISD students.

buffalobills.com - Brown’s military-community work includes Western New York and Buffalo VA Hospital; Honor Flight visits Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

giants.com - The three award finalists are to be announced in January; the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors during the week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

dallascowboys.com - Fan voting closes Monday, November 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET; finalists are to be announced in January 2027.

buffalobills.com - Fan voting closes Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET; finalists are to be announced in January 2027.

giants.com - Stangeby has worked with the Giants for 36 seasons; her son, Staff Sgt. Joseph Stangeby, joined the U.S. Army Airborne Division in 2020 at age 19.

commanders.com - Ott entered the NFL in 2015; his sister-in-law’s husband, a National Guard member, firefighter and Boston med-flight paramedic, died a couple of years before the article.

WHY:

commanders.com - Ott said his family’s military connection became more personal after his relative’s death, prompting him to increase support for military families and TAPS. He said surviving families do not receive enough support after a service member’s death.

giants.com - Stangeby said her family experience, including her husband Erik’s three decades as a DEA agent and her son’s Army service, deepened her understanding of service members’ sacrifices and families’ need for support.

buffalobills.com - Brown’s brother’s Marine Corps service helped shape his appreciation for military service and commitment to giving back.

HOW:

commanders.com - Ott encouraged people to check in, call, and spend time with service members and veterans, saying, “Don’t just take, ‘How’re you doing? I’m good,’ as an answer.”

dallascowboys.com - Fans can vote at NFL.com/SaluteFanVote, with one vote per nominee per day; fan voting helps select three finalists.

buffalobills.com - Fans can vote at NFL.com/SaluteFanVote, with one vote per nominee per day; fan voting helps select three finalists.

Washington’s Tyler Ott and three others were nominated for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award. The nominees support military members, veterans, and their families in different ways. Fans can vote through November 30, with finalists announced in January.