The New England Patriots have decided to name long snapper Joe Cardona as their nominee for the NFL’s 2021 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA. Cardona is no stranger to this honor: the Patriots have nominated him each year since 2016.
Cardona originally arrived in New England as a fifth-round draft selection in 2015. Only the fourth ever long snapper to hear his name called on draft day, the Navy product went on to become a core member of the Patriots’ kicking game operation: he helped bring two Super Bowls to Foxborough and earned a four-year contract extension in 2018.