Broncos Nominate Sean Payton for Salute to Service
Denver selected its head coach as the team's nominee for the 2026 NFL award honoring military community commitment.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Military
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The Denver Broncos have selected head coach Sean Payton as their nominee for the 2026 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. Payton is one of 32 NFL nominees for the honor, which recognizes exceptional commitment to the military community.
Why it matters
The nomination spotlights Payton's advocacy for veterans and gives Denver fans a direct way to support the team's nominee through public voting. The award is one of the league's formal recognitions of community service connected to the armed forces.
Payton is one of 32 NFL nominees for the 2026 award, and he has raised more than $200,000 for veteran-service programs. The three finalists will not be announced until January, so the eventual recipient remains unknown.
The players
Sean Payton
Head coach of the Denver Broncos and a longtime advocate for veterans, who supports the organization K9s For Warriors and has established a club partnership with it.
Denver Broncos
The Denver-based NFL franchise that selected Payton as its nominee for the 2026 Salute to Service Award.
The details
Voting for the Salute to Service Award is open to the public through Monday, November 30, 2026. Past winners include Christian McCaffrey in 2025, George Kittle in 2024 and Joe Cardona in 2023.
Timeline
Nominee announced: November 5, 2026
Public voting closes: Monday, November 30, 2026
Three finalists announced: January 2026
Winner recognized at NFL Honors: week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles
Roadmap
The NFL Salute to Service Award, presented annually with USAA, recognizes league members for sustained support of the military community. Payton's nomination continues a pattern in which the award has honored players such as Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Joe Cardona.
Fans who want to support Payton's nomination can vote for the award through Monday, November 30, 2026. Voting is open to the public, so anyone can participate before the deadline.
The takeaway
Payton's nomination highlights how individual coaches can drive sustained veteran support beyond the playing field. Readers who want to take part can vote before the November deadline.
What happens next
Public voting for the Salute to Service Award closes on Monday, November 30, 2026, and the three finalists will be announced in January. The winner will be recognized at NFL Honors during the week of Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.
Further reading
Explore more Military coverage tied to Denver's sports and veteran community.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOAA.
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