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Arizona Cardinals to honor military and veterans on Sunday

The contest is being called "salute to service".

By Jess Root
Christian Petersen

The Arizona Cardinals are joining USAA and the NFL in honoring veterans and active duty members of the military by taking part in the NFL's Salute to Service campaign at Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.

At Sunday's game, the Air National Guard will lead the Cardinals out of the tunnel and onto the field. The team will also host military volunteers from the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force and unfurl a field-size American flag during the National Anthem which will be sung by MSgt. Jarrod Council from the United States Air Force with the colors to be presented by the United States Marine Corp, Recruiting Station Phoenix.

Prior to kickoff, the Cardinals parachute team will jump over University of Phoenix Stadium with a giant American flag and at the end of the first quarter a special stadium card stunt will be performed to honor military members and veterans. At halftime, Madison Rising, a rock band led by Navy veteran Dave Bray, will perform the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America.

The Cardinals, along with partner Sanderson Ford, will also continue to host returning military personnel and their families at each home game this season through the "Seats for Soldiers" program.

During designated Salute to Service games, including this week's matchup against the Texans, Arizona players will honor Pat Tillman with a #40 decal. The Pat Tillman Foundation is one of the three military non-profit partners of the NFL that are receiving the league's pledge of $100 for every point scored during Salute to Service games. Last year, the first year of the campaign, the NFL donated nearly $800,000 as a result of the Salute to Service campaign.

Cardinals players and coaches will wear newly designed on-field apparel including hats, sweatshirts, gloves and captains patches, and will use camouflaged-branded Gatorade towels on the sidelines.

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