Hayden Hurst nominated for NFL’s Salute to Service Award

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst has been nominated for the NFL’s 12th Annual “Salute to Service Award” presented by USAA.

The annual award honors a league member who shows exemplary status in honoring and supporting military and veteran communities.

Hurst, long an advocate for mental health, continues to assist veterans at military-appreciation events in the Cincinnati area. His Hayden Hurst Family Foundation has helped in several notable areas, per the press release:

“Hurst pledged $20,000 to Top Dogg K9 Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that trains and pairs service dogs with disabled veterans struggling with mental health challenges post-deployment. At the third annual Hayden Hurst Family Foundation Golf Tournament held in February, Hurst and his mother, Cathy, worked with Acadia Healthcare to fly in a foursome of military patients that were honored before participating in the event. Proceeds from the tournament benefited the Youth Crisis Center, an organization that helps children with depression and anxiety in Hurst’s hometown of Jacksonville, FL. In August, Hurst partnered with the Cincinnati-based Armed Forces Tickets Association to provide four tickets for an active-duty service member and their family to watch the Bengals’ preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Paycor Stadium.”

Finalists for this year’s award will be announced in January, with the recipient honored at NFL Honors in February.

For the first time in the award’s history, fans will have a say. Voting begins Friday, Nov. 4 and continues until Wednesday, Nov. 30, with fans permitted to vote once per day.