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San Francisco 49ers’ tight end George Kittle takes the field prior to a game against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card playoff game

The National Football League and USAA, an official NFL Salute to Service Partner, have named San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle as the recipient of the 2024 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. This prestigious award acknowledges outstanding efforts by members of the NFL community in honoring and supporting the military.

Recognizing George Kittle’s Military Contributions

Kittle will be formally recognized during the NFL Honors, presented by Invisalign, on February 6, during Super Bowl LIX week in New Orleans. As part of the award, USAA, a leading provider of financial services for U.S. military members, veterans, and their families, will donate $25,000 to the official aid societies of each military branch in Kittle’s honor. Additionally, the NFL Foundation will match this donation with another $25,000 contribution to Kittle’s military charity of choice.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised Kittle for his dedication.

“George Kittle truly embodies the essence of the Salute to Service Award. His commitment to honoring service members and engaging with numerous military organizations makes him a worthy recipient. The NFL family is proud of his efforts to give back to those who sacrifice for our country.”

Kittle’s military connection is deeply personal, stemming from his family’s service history, including his Uncle Pat and Grandfather Carl. His appreciation for the armed forces is evident through his continuous support for service members and veterans.

Kittle’s Acts of Service

Kittle’s contributions extend beyond symbolic gestures; he actively engages with the military community. Through his generosity, he has hosted military and frontline heroes at every 49ers game, donating over 400 tickets in the past six years. His Founding Hidden Pearls Podcast (HPP), launched in 2020, amplifies community stories, with nearly 60 episodes dedicated to veterans. Inspired by these narratives, Kittle and his family developed an app providing free mental health resources to veterans, incorporating meditative techniques he personally uses during gameplay.

Kittle has also donated over $250,000 to military nonprofits and has actively highlighted military organizations through initiatives such as My Cause My Cleats. Organizations he has supported include the Pat Tillman Foundation, TAPS, Merging Vets and Players (MVP), Operation Freedom Paws, and Operation Surf.

Kittle’s involvement in the San Francisco 49ers’ Salute to Service programming goes beyond surface-level engagement. He maintains lasting relationships with service members and their families, such as the family of fallen Army soldier Sgt. Martin LaMar, whom he gifted Super Bowl tickets and continues to support. In another notable act, he honored Army veteran Chris Kleinsorge by accepting his uniform from Afghanistan and later inviting Kleinsorge and his wife to a home game.

Reflecting on the Award

George Kittle expresses deep gratitude after winning this year’s Salute to Service Award recipient.

“I am incredibly thankful and honored to be this year’s Salute to Service Award recipient. This is my fourth time being nominated by the 49ers, which is an absolute honor because it’s important to me to show gratitude and support to the military. My appreciation for the military stems 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.”

Kittle continues by highlighting the support from his family as he attempts to give back to United State’s veterans.

“Without my family and their unwavering support, I would not be able to create these genuine and authentic relationships with the real heroes and the ones who should be receiving this award, the active-duty members, Veterans, TAPS and families that have lost loved ones in the line of fire. The support you see for the military around the league is so important and the fact that guys on every team do it, not just the nominees, is awesome. We are allowed to live the lives we live here because of the sacrifices they make, so we’re just trying to honor them, show our support, and share as much love as we can.”

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox were also finalists for the 2024 Salute to Service Award.