ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton has been selected as the team's nominee for the 2026 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA, it was announced.
Payton, whose father served in the U.S. military, has been and advocate and supporter for veterans for more than a decade. His most visible work is through the nonprofit K9s For Warriors, an organization dedicated to ending veteran suicide by pairing veterans with highly trained service dogs.
Payton funded his first service dog, Gumbo, through K9s For Warriors in 2013, who was later paired with a veteran experiencing invisible wounds of war. He would go on to expand his support through his Play It Forward Foundation, raising $200,000+ for veteran-service programs and increasing awareness of the challenges many veterans face after their military service ends.
When he joined the Broncos as head coach in 2023, Payton helped establish a club partnership with K9s For Warriors focused on serving Colorado veterans. Beyond funding the training of service dogs Bucky & Thunder (2023), Crush (2024) and Elway (2025), Payton has used his platform to elevate awareness of veteran mental health challenges and the life-changing impact of service-dog partnerships.
Each dog has since been paired with a Colorado veteran, providing daily support, renewed independence and a path toward healing.
In total, he has supported more than 25 veteran-service dog teams, helping veterans regain confidence, rebuild routines, and reconnect with family and community.
The Salute to Service Award is part of the NFL and USAA's year-round commitment to recognize and honor the military community. Each year, the NFL and its 32 teams come together to recognize and empower members of the military as part of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative.
Fans can vote for their favorite nominee, which will help determine the award's three finalists. To see all the nominees and vote, fans can visit NFL.com/SaluteFanVote from now until Monday, Nov. 30. Only one vote per fan, per day is permitted.
Fan voting will help determine the award's three finalists, who will be announced in January 2027. The award recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors, the league's annual primetime awards special, during the week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.
