Kittle Wins the 2024 Salute to Service Award

George Kittle, Star Tight End of the San Francisco 49ers, Wins the 2024 Salute to Service Award

George Kittle, the star tight end of the San Francisco 49ers, is an outstanding player and a remarkable person who always seeks to help others. On the field, he is consistently in the discussion for the best tight end in the league, and off the field, Kittle continues to showcase his greatness.

The NFL and USAA have announced that in 2024, Kittle is the winner of the 14th annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. USAA, a leading provider of insurance, banking, and other financial services for U.S. military members, veterans, and their families, will donate $25,000 in Kittle’s honor to the official aid societies representing each branch of the military. The NFL Foundation will match USAA’s $25,000 donation, which will be given to the military charity of Kittle’s choice.

Kittle has always worked hard to recognize and honor the sacrifices and efforts of military members. In fact, in both 2022 and 2023, he was a finalist for the annual Salute to Service Award. This award acknowledges the efforts made by NFL family members to honor and support the military community.

“George Kittle truly embodies the essence of the Salute to Service Award,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “His dedication to honoring service members and his involvement with numerous military organizations make him the perfect choice for this honor. The NFL family is proud of his commitment to giving back to those who have sacrificed for our country, and we congratulate him on his tremendous achievements.”

“George Kittle continues to demonstrate a deep and unwavering dedication to our service members, veterans, and their families through his military recognition efforts, which go beyond simple gestures and truly reflect a heartfelt commitment to those who have served our nation,” said USAA Senior Vice President and Chief of Military Affairs, Major General (Ret.) John Richardson. “Inspired by those in his own family who have served, George has become a shining example for the NFL community on how to create lasting and genuine connections with our military, and we salute him as this year’s recipient of the Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.”

Kittle’s family members have served in the armed forces, which has undoubtedly given him a deep appreciation for the military and their sacrifices. As Kittle himself explained upon learning that he was the latest recipient of this award, both his grandfather, Carl, and his uncle, Pat, served in the military.

“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be this year’s recipient of the Salute to Service Award. This is my fourth time being nominated by the 49ers, which is an absolute honor because it is important for me to show gratitude and support to the military,” said Kittle. “My appreciation for the military comes from watching my uncle Pat serve multiple tours with the National Guard and seeing firsthand how much it impacted him and his family while he was overseas. Without my family and their unwavering support, I wouldn’t be able to create these genuine and authentic relationships with the real heroes—the ones who truly deserve this award—our active-duty service members, veterans, TAPS families, and those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. The support you see for the military around the league is so important, and the fact that guys on every team—not just the nominees—do this is incredible. We are able to live the lives we do because of the sacrifices they make, so we are just trying to honor them, show our support, and share as much love as we can.”

Kittle’s Contributions to the Military Community

Throughout his NFL career, Kittle has sought ways to help and connect with military members. He has worked with nonprofit military organizations and participated in initiatives such as the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats, where he recognized the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) in 2018. From 2019 to 2021, he supported the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and, in 2022, the Merging Vets & Players (MVP) program.

Since becoming involved with TAPS during the 2018 Pro Bowl, Kittle has maintained long-standing relationships with families who have lost loved ones in military service. For example, he gifted Super Bowl LIV tickets to the family of fallen Army Sergeant Martin LaMar. Since then, Kittle has stayed in touch with the LaMar family, inviting them to 49ers training camp practices. In fact, Kittle keeps a medal that the LaMar family gave him in 2020 hanging in his locker to honor the sacrifices made by military members.

In 2020, Kittle and his family founded the Hidden Pearls Podcast (HPP) to connect with military veterans and share their stories worldwide. In 2023, this podcast partnered with Diving With Heroes in Cozumel to discuss the benefits of scuba diving for veterans, particularly those with physical disabilities.

Kittle’s support does not stop there. He has donated over $250,000 to nonprofit military organizations. Throughout his eight years in the NFL, the “People’s Tight End” has also purchased hundreds of game tickets to donate to the National Guard, inviting service members to both home and away 49ers games. Additionally, he has donated over $10,000 to Operation Freedom Paws, a nonprofit organization that provides trained service dogs to military veterans and individuals with disabilities.

The Salute to Service Award

Each year in November, the NFL honors U.S. military members as part of its Salute to Service campaign, which was celebrated during Weeks 10 to 12 of the 2024 season.

The Salute to Service Award recognizes NFL players, coaches, personnel, and former league members who demonstrate a strong commitment to honoring and supporting military communities. NFL teams nominate candidates, and Kittle will be officially recognized during the NFL Honors ceremony presented by Invisalign on Thursday, February 6, during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans.

Fans were once again able to vote for their favorite nominees, and the finalists were ultimately selected based on a consensus vote from fans, an internal NFL committee, and USAA. Nominees were evaluated based on the positive impact of their efforts, the type of service conducted, the thoroughness of their support, and their level of commitment to military communities.