Stanford alumnus and current San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been announced as a finalist for the 15th Annual NFL Salute to Service Award. He is in the running for the award alongside Dallas Cowboys’ tight end Jake Ferguson and Minnesota Vikings’ running back Aaron Jones Sr. 

The award was created to recognize exceptional members of the NFL community who have honored and supported U.S. service members, veterans and their families.

“The NFL and USAA applaud Jake Ferguson, Aaron Jones, Sr., and Christian McCaffrey as deserving finalists who have demonstrated exactly what the award stands for — using the power of football to connect with, empower, appreciate and uplift our service members, veterans and their families,” said Major General (Retired) Bob Whittle, Senior Vice President and Head of Military Affairs at USAA. 

McCaffrey’s connection to the military stems not only from his proximity to military bases growing up, but also from his relationship with military veterans Spencer Milo and Sgt. Alex Somerson. McCaffrey met Milo while training in Colorado during the 2017 offseason. Milo is a medically retired Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was diagnosed with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

McCaffrey met Somerson during the Carolina Panthers’ final walkthrough before meeting the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 22, 2018. Somerson is involved in the Wounded Warrior Project after serving in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq. He has also been diagnosed with PTSD. McCaffrey, after meeting Somerson, bought him and his wife tickets to the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams.

“I always admired [Milo’s] outlook on life and the way he approaches it,” McCaffrey said. “As a football player, [I am] constantly taking care of my body… If these guys are going overseas and getting injured and coming back and having problems, they deserve the best medical attention. So that’s kind of where my passion for helping out comes from.”

Out of admiration and respect for the military community, McCaffrey founded the Christian McCaffrey Foundation (CCF) to provide holistic support for military veterans, specifically those in Special Operations, with a focus on trauma recovery. The CCF treats military veterans with athlete-level care, believing that troops deserve the same high-quality medical and mental health support that athletes receive. 

This notion led McCaffrey to establish his 23 and Troops initiative. 23 and Troops is CCF’s flagship program offering holistic, medically-based support for veterans of Special Operations who experience PTSD and trauma. The goal of 23 and Troops is to bridge gaps in traditional veteran care. 

McCaffrey is a proud member of the NFL’s Salute to Service program, connecting with troops and their families while raising awareness through My Cause, My Cleats.

Upon winning the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, the USAA would donate $25,000 to official aid societies representing all U.S. military branches in the recipient’s name, and the NFL would match the sum in a donation to the recipient’s non-profit charity of choice. 

The three finalists will be assessed on the impact their efforts have brought, the scope and nature of their service, the consciousness of their efforts and their overall commitment. A panel of judges from the U.S. military community, the NFL and the USAA will convene to determine the final recipient.

McCaffrey would become the first Stanford graduate to win the award if he is selected, and it would mark the second straight year a 49ers player received the honor, with tight end George Kittle winning last year’s award. The winner of the Salute to Service Award will be determined in February and announced on Feb. 5 at the NFL Honors ceremony.