JOE CARDONA, LONG SNAPPER
Honor, Courage and Commitment: core values of the United States Navy of which there is no better example than Navy Lieutenant and New England Patriots long snapper, Joe Cardona. Joe has been a leader in community involvement, including justice and equity initiatives. But his allegiance to military service comes first. It starts with his personal dedication as an active junior officer of Maritime Security Squadron 8. Joe has balanced his active service and his NFL career for eight seasons, while also using his NFL platform to support military and veteran communities. As an active service member, Joe oversees the logistical needs of 500 sailors, and during the 2023 offseason, Joe joined his unit while they were deployed in Djibouti, Africa. He has presided over dozens of re-enlistment and retirement ceremonies at Gillette Stadium and is a leader in the community, supporting military families, helping to build new homes for wounded veterans, and serving on the Military Family Advisory Network. Joe has led free football clinics for military children at bases across New England. He has shared his personal military journey and honored soldiers at Brothers of Life, an annual gathering hosted by the Kraft family that brings together Israeli wounded soldiers and American counterparts. Joe's ongoing commitment to the military, the Patriots and the NFL have made, and will continue to make, a lasting impact on our community and the nation as a whole. We proudly and resolutely support him for the NFL's 2023 Salute to Service award.