CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst has been named one of three finalists for the NFL's 12th annual Salute to Service Award.
The award recognizes a player, coach, legend or staff member for their excellence in appreciation of the military. Each teams nominates someone, and then each of those nominees are voted on for the league's overall recipient.
Other than Hurst, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera are the other two finalists.
The finalists were determined, for the first time, by a consensus of fan votes, an internal NFL committee and the USAA.
"All three of this year's finalists for the Salute to Service Award presented by USAA serve America's military community in different but impactful ways, with each deserving recognition for their exemplary commitment to those who wear the uniform," said John Bird, USAA senior vice president of military affairs.
When chosen by the Bengals in November, the team said Hurst has been very vocal about mental health awareness and treatment community since sharing his own story of personal struggles in 2020.
In support of Suicide Prevention Month, Hurst sent a video message to Marines, which introduced him to the emotional and psychological challenges faced by military members. Since then, the Bengals said Hurst has remained dedicated to veteran outreach.
In 2021, the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation — which helps youth, military and others regarding health, education and wellness — made a $20,000 pledge to the Top Dogg K9 Foundation, which is based in Atlanta and pairs service dogs with disabled veterans struggling with mental health post-deployment.
In other efforts, Hurst also partnered with the Cincinnati-based Armed Forces Tickets Association (AFTA) to provide four tickets to active military members and their family to watch the Bengals play the Los Angeles Rams in this season's preseason finale.
The winner for the Salute to Service Award will be announced during the week of Super Bowl LVII, and the recipient will be honored at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 9.
USAA will contribute $25,000 in the award recipient's honor to the official aid societies representing each of the military's branches, while the NFL will match that contribution to whichever military charity the recipient chooses.
