The Falcoholic
It’s the second year in a row that the Falcons RB has sent a veteran to the Super Bowl.
Bijan Robinson is a fan favorite, and he should be — not just for the work he does on the field, but for the person he is off of it.
Robinson has family members who have served in the US military, and he’s teamed up with USAA, the official NFL Salute to Service Partner, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to award Staff Sgt. Jeff Carroll, US Air Force, and his wife, Lisa, the ultimate gift for any NFL fan: A trip to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, La.
Staff Sgt. Carroll is a die-hard Falcons fan who hails from Newnan, Ga. Mrs. Carroll is also a Falcons fan, and the two will spend time with Bijan before the big game, alongside other military families and NFL players who are a part of this league-wide effort from USAA.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity with USAA and the VFW to give back to our military by sending a deserving veteran and fan of the red and black, like Staff Sgt. Jeff Carroll, to the Super Bowl,” said Robinson. “With family of my own who served, I know Jeff’s time in the Air Force required the full support of his family, and I look forward to meeting him and his wife Lisa in New Orleans to say thank you for all they’ve done for us.”
This is the second consecutive year that Bijan has worked with USAA to thank a veteran by sending them to the Super Bowl. I was able to catch up with him at the USAA Salute to Service Lounge last year in Las Vegas, and he said it’s been “the best partnership ever.”
“I surprised the guy (with) two Super Bowl tickets with his family and told him just how much I just love and respect him and what he’s done for our country and what he’s done for himself to even just be here to have this opportunity, Bijan said. “It’s been pretty amazing.”
At the time, Bijan told me that he does see a similarity between the NFL and the military.
“Obviously the military, it’s life or death, and your brotherhood is what you’ve got. But I think it’s the same thing in football — it’s not life or death, but you have a brotherhood, you play for one another,” the Falcons running back said. “They fight for one another. I think it’s just really important to give back in that area and to see the importance of what those guys have done and how they protected all of us from from any type of danger.”
Congratulations and best wishes to the Carrolls, and kudos to Bijan for giving back to veterans.
To read more about Jeff Carroll, see below.
Jeff Carroll Bio:
Jeffrey “Jeff” Carroll served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly a decade (1980-1989), achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant.
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