In his sixth NFL season, Levi Wallace plays cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tony Richardson played the last of his 17 seasons as an NFL fullback 13 years ago.

But both have been nominated for the same NFL honor – the Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. The award recognizes NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to honoring and supporting military and veteran communities.

Each NFL team supplies a nominee for the award.

The New York Jets nominated Richardson for the award, describing his position with the team as “legend.” Richardson played his final three NFL seasons for the Jets.

Richardson’s nomination sheet reads: “Tony honors the sacrifices made by his father, Ben Richardson, U.S. Army sergeant major, Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient and drill sergeant, and his sister Shon Richardson, master sergeant for 28 years with four deployments, by volunteering his time consistently to support and meet with military personnel.

“During Fleet Week, Tony has coached military flag football teams and flown out to a Navy ship to eat dinner, interact with soldiers and hold ‘chalk talks.’ Tony has packed meals with AmeriCorps alongside Roger Goodell and other NFL staff. Tony will serve in the Honorary Commander Program, which connects and exposes the local community to the missions of the armed services and promotes public awareness of the missions, policies and programs of the U.S. Air Force and an understanding of the Department of Defense.

“Tony will be paired with U.S. Army 2nd Brigade ROTC at the Joint Base McGuire Dix to create one-on-one opportunities to inform and educate local community leaders about the missions of the installation and the U.S. military. Tony has partnered with the USO and toured Okinawa to empower service members that are deployed. Additionally, Tony has worked with MVP: Merging Combat Veterans and Athletes, which empowers combat veterans and former professional athletes by connecting them after the uniform comes off, providing them with a new team to assist with transition, promote personal development and show them they are never alone.”

A prep standout at Daleville who played for Auburn before entering the NFL, Richadson has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

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Wallace has started 66 NFL regular-season games since entering the league from Alabama as an undrafted rookie in 2018.

Wallace’s nomination sheet reads: “Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace represents the pillars of the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign — to honor, empower and connect with service members, veterans and their families. That is because those pillars exist in his own life as the proud son of military members. Both of Levi’s parents, Wendy and the late Walter Wallace, served in the U.S. Air Force. His mother served for four years, while his father served for 21 years reaching the rank of master sergeant.

“As an athlete, Levi wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school, but was able to attend the University of Alabama because of his parents’ military service. Modeling his parents’ dedication, Levi dedicated himself to his craft both on the field and in the classroom, eventually earning a scholarship.

“It’s the sacrifices his parents made, as well as all of those who serve, that inspire him to give back. One of the projects he got involved with when he joined the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent in 2022 is the hero-banner program for military veterans. Each year, the Steelers present local veterans with banners honoring their service, which then hang on Art Rooney Avenue outside of Acrisure Stadium during November. For the second year in a row, Levi looks forward to participating in the event and welcoming the veterans to the team’s Salute to Service game.”

Fans can vote online for their favorite nominee through Nov. 30 to help determine the three finalists for the award.

The finalists will be announced in January, and the winner will be recognized at NFL Honors, the league’s prime-time awards show during Super Bowl week in February.

USAA will contribute $25,000 in the winner’s name to official aid societies representing U.S. military branches. The NFL also will donate $25,000 to the winner’s military or veterans charity of choice.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.