MATTHEW SMILEY, SPECIAL TEAMS COACH
Matthew Smiley, Special Teams Coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, embodies each tenant of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative to honor, empower and connect service members, veterans, and their families. Prior to his coaching career and just months before the attacks on 9/11, Coach Smiley served in the U.S. Air Force for four years as a maintenance officer. While on active duty, Smiley was deployed to combat zones four times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal for his efforts. In between deployments, he served as a football coach for specialists at the University of North Dakota. Smiley's father, John Smiley, also served in the Air Force and retired as a colonel. Since Smiley joined the Bills, he has contributed military initiatives in the Buffalo community. In 2023, Smiley joined 49 local veterans on the Bills' annual honor flight trip to Washington D.C. to visit national memorials and pay tribute to their service and sacrifice. Matthew and his wife, Marissa, consistently support Western New York Heroes during the holiday season with adopt-a-family programs. WNY Heroes support veterans and their families with essential services and resources. Coach Smiley's dedication to the military community and his own service truly embodies the NFL Salute to Service initiative.