The finalists for the 2025 Salute to Service Award have been named, with Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson the three players in line for the prize.

The players are recognised for their exceptional efforts to honour and support members of the military community, as all three ‘used their platforms to be exceptional advocates for the military community, reminding us that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off’, according to Major General (Retired) Bob Whittle, SVP and head of military affairs at USAA and one of the panel of judges who will decide the award.

The other panel members are McCaffrey’s San Francisco team-mate George Kittle, the 2024 Salute to Service Award recipient, former Dallas Cowboys linebacker and Air Force Academy graduate Chad Hennings, Marine Corps veteran and former NFL head coach Jim Mora, Sr and the NFL’s chief financial officer Christina Dorfler, herself an army veteran

For the past 15 seasons, the Salute to Service Award has been an integral part of the NFL’s and USAA’s year-round commitment to recognising the military and veteran community. As the presenting sponsor of the award, USAA will contribute $25,000 in the recipient’s name to official aid societies representing all US military branches. The NFL Foundation will match USAA’s contribution by donating an additional $25,000 to the recipient’s military non-profit charity of choice.

Last spring, Jones spent time on an NFL-USO Tour, where he visited US service members stationed at military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Included on the tour were visits to Camp Buehring and Camp Arifjan, the latter having something of a family connection for the running back, whose mother had previously been stationed there.

The Christian McCaffrey Foundation’s flagship initiative, 23 and Troops, 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 foundation has invested nearly $700,000 in military support.

In addition to carrying the cause on his cleats this season, Ferguson joined National Medal of Honor Museum president and CEO Chris Cassidy, Medal of Honor recipient and retired US Navy SEAL master chief Britt Slabinski and Washington Commanders legend Josh Morgan for a 2024 Character Playbook LIVE event at AT&T Stadium. The event welcomed 900 students in person and thousands more virtually for a powerful discussion on commitment.

The Salute to Service Award recipient will be recognised at NFL Honours on February 5th in the buildup to Super Bowl LX in San Francisco.