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Woody Johnson Nominated For Salute to Service Award

Jets owner Woody Johnson IV has been nominated for the fourth annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA, the NFL's official military appreciation sponsor.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

We may criticize Woody Johnson for the may he runs the team on occasions, however it's good to highlight a positive and this is definitely a positive.

Earlier this year Woody Johnson donated $1 million to Army Sgt. Bryan Dilberian to build a smart home on Staten Island. Sgt. Dilberian tragically lost both of his legs and one of his arms while serving in Afghanistan. The $1 million donation went towards building this home and another, and the difference it will make to the life of Bryan Dilberian can't be underestimated.

At the time he spoke to the Huffington Post:

"It's going to mean everything to me," Dilberian said. "I'm not going to be relying on nurses coming to the house. I don't have to rely on just, people just coming to help me. I love to cook. Now, this is going to give me the fundamentals to cook again."

One representative is nominated from each team, whether it's a player, a coach, an owner or any other employee. The award is given to the person who demonstrates exemplary commitment to honoring and supporting the military community.

Finalists for the salute to service award will be announced in January and the winner will be revealed at the 4th annual NFL honors show in Arizona on NBC the day before the Superbowl.

Last year Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh won the award for his work towards honoring the military. Harbaugh invited wounded military personnel to each and every home game for the Ravens as his special guests and helped institute Military Appreciation Day. This year Harbaugh will serve on the panel to select the winner.

Here is a list of previous winners:

2013: John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens Head Coach

2012 - Charles Tillman - Chicago Bears Cornerback

2011- K.S "Bud" Adams - Tennessee Titans late owner

Here is a list of everyone who is nominated for the award this year:

TEAM NOMINEE
Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Jr. (WR)
Atlanta Falcons Joe Hawley (C)
Baltimore Ravens Morgan Cox (LS)
Buffalo Bills Doug Marrone (Head Coach)
Carolina Panthers Ron Rivera (Head Coach)
Chicago Bears Jared Allen (DE)
Cincinnati Bengals John Sawyer (VP/Board Member)
Cleveland Browns Alex Mack (C)
Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Denver Broncos Ben Garland (G)
Green Bay Packers Tom Bakken (Assistant Equipment Manager)
Houston Texans J.J. Watt (DE)
Indianapolis Colts Pat McAfee (P)
Jacksonville Jaguars Roy Miller (DT)
Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Johnson (LB)
Miami Dolphins Lousaka Polite (Former FB)
Minnesota Vikings Jeff Locke (P)
New Orleans Saints Jimmy Graham (TE)
New York Giants Tom Coughlin (Head Coach)
New York Jets Robert Wood Johnson IV (Owner)
Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Foundation
Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders
Pittsburgh Steelers Troy Polamalu (S)
St. Louis Rams Jeff Fisher (Head Coach)
San Diego Chargers Nick Hardwick (C)
Seattle Seahawks Dan Quinn (Defensive Coordinator)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vincent Jackson (WR)
Washington Redskins Darrel Young (FB)

USAA provides insurance, banking, investments, retirement products and advice to 10.3 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving or have honorably served our nation in the U.S. military and their eligible family members. Founded in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

The Salute to Service Award is part of the NFL and USAA’s year-long commitment to recognize and honor the military community. Culminating in November with the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign, for every point scored during the NFL’s 32 designated Salute to Service games, the league donates $100 to each of its three core, military non-profit partners – the Pat Tillman Foundation, USO and Wounded Warrior Project® – for a total of $300 per point.