Jaguars Name Safety Rayuan Lane III, a Marine Reserve Lieutenant, Their Salute to Service Nominee: Fan Voting Runs Through Nov. 30

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday named safety Rayuan Lane III their club nominee for the NFL's 2026 Salute to Service Award, presented by USAA, according to the team. Lane is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a 2025 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. The award, now in its 16th year, honors NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who show an exceptional commitment to U.S. service members, veterans and their families.

The announcement comes less than a week before Veterans Day, and the Jaguars have a full slate of military-themed events planned before their Salute to Service game on Sunday, Nov. 29. Fans can vote for any of the league's 32 nominees, including Lane, through Nov. 30, according to the NFL. Details on the pre-game events, such as dates and locations, had not been announced when the nomination was released.

Who is Rayuan Lane III

Lane graduated from the Naval Academy in May 2025 and holds a commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve, according to the Jaguars. The team selected him in the sixth round, 200th overall, of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to the Jaguars' roster page. It lists him as a 5-foot-11, 197-pound safety who wears No. 25.

In his rookie season he played in all 17 games without a start and led the team with 15 special teams tackles, according to the roster page. This season, through the Jaguars' first eight games, he has 22 combined tackles, 4 passes defensed and one interception that he returned 92 yards for a touchdown, with 2 starts. Those statistics come from the team's roster page and may have changed by the time this story is read.

What the Jaguars say he has done

The Jaguars' nomination announcement says Lane has engaged with Jacksonville's military community since arriving in the city, including future service members, active-duty personnel, veterans and their families. It says he recruits prospective Marines, administers the Oath of Enlistment, gives motivational talks and answers questions about his military experience. He also takes part in the team's Salute to Service programming, including movie nights for active-duty and retired service members and their families.

The team also points to his work with the Wounded Warrior Project. To mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, he visited the organization's headquarters to learn about its services and its support for active-duty members and veterans, according to the Jaguars. Earlier in 2026 he helped host Wounded Warrior Project participants at the team's practice facility before the group's Soldier Ride 250.

How the vote and the award work

Fans can vote at NFL.com/SaluteFanVote through Monday, Nov. 30, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, according to the NFL. The Jaguars say fans may vote once per day, and the NFL says fan voting helps determine three finalists, who will be announced in January 2027. The recipient is then chosen by a Salute to Service Award panel.

The NFL says that panel includes last year's recipient, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, along with Chad Hennings, Donnie Edwards, USAA's Bob Whittle and the NFL's chief financial officer, Christine Dorfler. The winner will be honored at NFL Honors during Super Bowl LXI week in Los Angeles. In the recipient's name, USAA will contribute $25,000 to the official aid societies of all U.S. military branches, and the NFL Foundation will add $25,000 for the recipient's military nonprofit of choice.

A division-rival nominee

Not every nominee wears a Jaguars jersey, and some come from teams Jacksonville plays. The Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars' opponent on Nov. 29, nominated defensive end Jacob Martin, according to the NFL's list. The Indianapolis Colts nominated long snapper Luke Rhodes, and the Baltimore Ravens nominated special teams coach Ben Kotwica.

McCaffrey won the 2025 award for his foundation's 23 and Troops initiative, which the NFL says has invested nearly $700,000 in military support. The league's announcement says clubs recognize the military community during Weeks 9 through 11 with on-field branding and game-day events, although the Jaguars' own Salute to Service game falls in Week 12. The team's game-themes page lists the Nov. 29 game against the Titans as presented by CSX and says active-duty service members, veterans and their families will be honored.

What else the Jaguars have planned

According to the team, the Salute to Service push includes a base visit to Naval Station Mayport, participation in Jacksonville's Veterans Day Parade, youth football camps, school visits and the Battle of the Branches, a flag football tournament among the military branches at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The Jaguars' announcement does not give dates for the Mayport visit or the tournament. The team's pages also do not list a kickoff time for the Nov. 29 game.

The Jaguars Foundation also awarded $100,000 in grants to Jacksonville military and veteran groups, according to the team, at the city's Celebration of Valor kickoff. The city announced on Nov. 5 that it will host its annual Veterans Day Parade, but its listing gave no further details. The city's own parade page is at jacksonville.gov.

Bottom line

For Jaguars fans, the nomination is a way to connect a roster spot to the military ties running through the city, from Naval Air Station Jacksonville to Naval Station Mayport. Lane's nomination is one of 32, and the finalists will not be known until January. Until then, the Nov. 30 voting deadline and the Nov. 29 home game are the dates to know.