Once upon a time, Mario Edwards Jr. was one of the most highly-touted defensive tackle prospects not just in the state of Texas, but in all of high school football history. After three years at Florida State, Edwards entered the 2015 NFL Draft where he was selected 35th overall by the then-Oakland Raiders. In the years since, Edwards has bounced around the NFL, playing for six teams before finally landing with the Houston Texans ahead of the 2024 season.
Now, despite being only a rotation piece along the Texans defensive line, Mario Edwards Jr. seems right at home in Houston, and naturally, when you feel at home, there's often a desire to give back to the community you've been welcomed into. That's precisely what Edwards has done, and he's narrowed his focus specifically on helping the men and women in the Houston area who have served in the military.
For his efforts, Edwards has been named the Houston Texans' nominee for the 2025 Salute to Service Award, given each year since 2011 to a current player, former player, coach or staff member who makes an exceptional effort to honor and support military and veteran communities.
Per a press release from the Houston Texans, Edwards' sister served in the Army, and in addition to providing her with support, Edwards has extended his outreach to local veterans in Houston.
"On Memorial Day of this year, Edwards visited local veterans at the hospital in an effort to brighten their spirits and share life experiences," the press release states. "He was able to connect with several men and women in the hospital's activity room where he played games, signed autographs and took photos. Last year, Edwards also visited the hospital to surprise a deserving veteran, Clarence, with tickets to the Texans' annual Salute to Service game."
Other notable nominees this year around the NFL include Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers), Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers), Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys) and Patrick Queen (Pittsburgh Steelers). The full list of nominees can be found here.
From today until November 30th, voting will take place at NFL.com/SaluteFanVote, and then three finalists will be named in January. The recipient will be named at NFL Honors during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX.