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Steve Cannon, the Chief Executive Officer for the Atlanta Falcons/AMB Group, has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2019 NFL Salute to Service Award. The award honors a member of the NFL who demonstrates a commitment to supporting the military community.
Cannon is a West Point graduate who served as an Airborne Ranger 1st Lieutenant in West Germany during the fall of the Iron Curtain. Due to his commitment to honoring the military, the Falcons became the first NFL team to conduct their very own USO Tour. The Falcons organization has also raised more than $250,000 to help homeless veterans in the state of Georgia.
Additionally, Cannon serves on the Board of Directors for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Children of Fallen Patriots, and Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund. In 2014, Cannon co-founded the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund in honor of his brother, also a West Point graduate, who took his own life while battling PTSD. The Johnny Mac fund has helped over 1,500 military children with scholarships totaling $12 million and will award over $4 million in scholarships in 2019.
The Falcons organization is arguably the most honored for their military support in the league, as the last three Salute to Service award recipients were Ben Garland (2018), Andre Roberts (2017) and Dan Quinn (2016) – all members of the Atlanta Falcons at the time. Along with Cannon, the other Salute to Service Award finalists are Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia and former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards.
The Salute to Service Award recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards show which airs on February 1 on FOX, the night before Super Bowl LIV.