Chad Hennings, Kevin Greene, and Roger Staubach are just a few of our brothers-in-arms that happened to also be incredible football players who earned themselves Super Bowl rings.
For more than four decades, the NFL and the military have shared a special relationship that involves the posting of the colors during the National Anthem and historic flyovers.
This week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league has invited 15 Medal of Honor recipients to participate in the official on-field coin toss ceremony before Super Bowl LII officially kicks off.
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Medal of Honor recipient and World War II veteran Hershel “Woody” Williams, who earned his distinguished award during the Battle of Iwo Jima, is scheduled to conduct the traditional coin flip at Sunday’s game.
The other Medal of Honor recipients in attendance include:
- Bennie Adkins: Army, Vietnam (award delayed 9/15/2014)
- Don Ballard: Navy, Vietnam (awarded 5/14/1970)
- Sammy Davis: Army, Vietnam (awarded 11/18/1967)
- Roger Donlon: Army, Vietnam (awarded 12/5/1964)
- Sal Giunta: Army, Afghanistan (awarded 11/16/2010)
- Flo Groberg: Army, Afghanistan (awarded 11/12/2015)
- Tom Kelley: Navy, Vietnam (awarded 5/17/1969)
- Allan Kellogg: Marines, Vietnam (awarded 10/15/1973)
- Gary Littrell: Army, Vietnam (awarded 10/15/1973)
- Walter Marm: Army, Vietnam (awarded 12/19/1966)
- Robert Patterson: Army, Vietnam (awarded 10/10/1969)
- Leroy Petry: Army, Afghanistan (awarded 7/12/2011)
- Clint Romesha: Army, Afghanistan (awarded 2/11/2013)
- James Taylor: Army, Vietnam (awarded 11/19/1968)
- Woody Williams: Marines, WWII (awarded 10/5/1945)
To date, the NFL has partnered with several veteran organizations to raise support and awareness, including the Pat Tillman Foundation, TAPS, USO, and Wounded Warrior Project.
Super Bowl LII kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, live from U.S. Bank Stadium.