The New England Patriots have made Joe Cardona their nominee for the NFL’s 2023 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.
Cardona originally arrived in New England as a fifth-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. 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 contract extensions in 2018 and 2023.
His loyalties are not limited to the Patriots, though, as he also continues to serve in the U.