Broncos FB/TE Andrew Beck Named NFL's Salute to Service Award Winner
On Wednesday, the NFL and USAA announced that Denver Broncos fullback/tight end Andrew Beck has been named the winner of the 11th annual Salute to Service Award.
It's a stunning honor.
The team website did well to capture the moment when Beck learned that he was the recipient of the NFL's Salute to Service Award as his father, Christopher Beck — a Brigadier General in the United States Army — surprised him to help present the honor. It was a very poignant moment for a young NFL player who grew up in a military family.
“To win this award means so much to me. Working with the military and giving back to them is something I’m passionate about,” Beck said via statement. “I grew up in a military family, so I know the things that they go through. My dad [who is in the military] is such a big role model to me. This will be a memory I cherish for the rest of my life.”
Beck's outreach and philanthropy within the veteran/Armed Services communities in Colorado have been considerable. There's a reason he, out of all the worthy players across the league, was selected for the honor.
The award recognizes the 'exceptional effort to honor and support members of the military community.' Beck becomes the first-ever Bronco to earn this national award and it's the first Denver player since John Elway was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient in 1992 to be recognized with an off-the-field accolade by the NFL.
Beck was a finalist alongside Baltimore Ravens maven Jarret Johnson and Chicago Bears tight end Jimmy Graham. Beck will be recognized during the primetime award show NFL Honors airing live pm Thursday at 7 pm MDT (9 EST) on ABC. The event will be held at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.
The third-year pro is coming off his third season with the Broncos. Beck appeared in 12 games last season for the Broncos, used primarily as a fullback. That meant a lot of lead-blocking and little personal glory.
Beck helped pave the way for running backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams to rush for a combined 1,821 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is a trusty lunch-pail type player that coaches love, even though he plays a position that has increasingly been diminished in the modern NFL.
However, operating the wide-zone under new head coach and offensive play-caller Nathaniel Hackett, something tells me that the Broncos will have a place for Beck. What he brings as a special teams contributor only bolsters his value to the Broncos.
Congratulations to Beck for a well-earned accolade and one that brings high honor to a Broncos organization that has dealt with six straight unsuccessful seasons and has recently been raked through the mud by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores with accusations of racist discriminatory hiring practices.
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