Christian McCaffrey earns Salute to Service Award after raising $700,000 for military families: 'Huge honor'

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey says it was a "true honor" to receive the NFL's Salute to Service Award as he continues to fight for military veterans.

SAN FRANCISCO – Christian McCaffrey was named the recipient of the NFL's 2026 Salute to Service Award, presented by USAA.

The San Francisco 49ers running back launched "23 and Troops" in 2021 to focus on post-traumatic stress and athlete-level care for veterans. The foundation has raised $700,000 for military support and paid off holiday layaway for 515 military families.

McCaffrey grew up about a half hour away from a military base, so he always knew that this was the community he wanted to help out.

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Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

"I think it was just from a young age, my parents instilled on me to respect the military and what it means to live in this country. I always appreciated that, and growing up in that area, a lot of your mentors end up becoming veterans because they're in the area, and you learn from them, you learn about their experiences, and some of the stuff that they did or saw. And it made me really just appreciate it even more," McCaffrey said.

"It's a huge honor," he added. "You know, we get to play a kids' game for a living, and we play in front of millions of people. And a lot of that is because of the people who have sacrificed for us. And it's not just the people who have served or are serving, it's their families, their wives, their husbands, their kids, who have to go through so much, and a lot