Quinn to receive Salute to Service military award

February 2, 2017, Houston: Falcons head coach Dan Quinn holds his press conference during Super Bowl media availability at Memorial City Mall ice arena on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in Houston. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

February 2, 2017, Houston: Falcons head coach Dan Quinn holds his press conference during Super Bowl media availability at Memorial City Mall ice arena on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in Houston. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Falcons coach Dan Quinn will be awarded the “Salute to Service Award” by USAA during the NFL Honors program on Saturday.

The award was created to acknowledge the exceptional efforts by members of the NFL community to honor and support members of the military community.

USAA will contribute $25,000 in Quinn’s honor to the official aid societies representing all five military branches.

“Coach Quinn truly embodies the spirit of our Salute to Service Award,” said Vice Admiral (Ret.) John Bird, USAA’s senior vice president of military affairs. “Though he has no direct ties to the military, he’s made it his personal charge to show appreciation for their service and sacrifice. Coach Quinn is a very deserving recipient of this year’s award, and we wish him luck in Super Bowl LI, knowing that he has already made the NFL and the military community very proud.”

Quinn hosted the Second Annual Rookie Club Olympics at the Atlanta Falcons Training Facility, where he invited 100 military members from Fort Benning, Georgia to participate. He and his staff created the event as a way for NFL players and the military community to unite and work together as a team.

Quinn hosts a “Military Day” at Training Camp and 20 military members at each Atlanta Falcons home game throughout the season. In addition, he provided a special opportunity for families of fallen soldiers with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) this season when he hosted 63 families at the Atlanta Falcons Salute to Service game in November.

Additionally, this past offseason Quinn led four Atlanta Falcons players on a week-long USO Tour through the Pacific, including stops in Guam and Hawaii.