ESPN Announces Veterans Week Programming and Initiatives for 2026

ESPN’s America’s Heroes Veterans Week will run November 6–14 with special broadcasts, athlete shoutouts, documentaries, and initiatives supporting military families.
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ESPN is preparing a weeklong tribute to the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces, with special programming, athlete shoutouts, documentaries, and community initiatives planned across its television, radio, digital, and social platforms.

What’s Happening:

  • Running November 6-14, ESPN’s annual America’s Heroes Veterans Week will recognize veterans, active-duty service members, and the military families who support them. The initiative will feature stories highlighting service, courage, and community, alongside live broadcasts and opportunities to celebrate those who have served.
  • “At Disney and ESPN, honoring veterans, active-duty service members and military families is about more than recognizing their service and sacrifice. It is about fostering a sense of belonging, creating meaningful opportunities and demonstrating our gratitude through action,” said Brian Iglesias, Vice President of ESPN Sports Marketing. “As a Marine veteran, this commitment is deeply personal to me. Through ESPN’s 2026 Veterans Week, we are proud to share powerful stories of service, celebrate our veteran colleagues and strengthen the programs that support veterans and military spouses as they pursue their next chapters.”
  • Throughout the week, well-known athletes, coaches, and celebrities will deliver daily shoutouts to members of the military during ESPN programming presented by USAA. Participants include Nick Saban, Jason Kelce, Chris Paul, Dak Prescott, Aaron Judge, Christian McCaffrey, Shaquille O’Neal, Dawn Staley, Drew Brees, and Jalen Hurts.
  • ESPN’s First Take will spotlight the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and their lasting impact at Tuskegee University through its Aviation Science program. The feature, reported by senior writer Justin Tinsley, will air Friday, November 6.
  • SportsCenter will also feature military-themed storytelling across multiple editions. A 30-minute SportsCenter Veterans Day Special presented by USAA will air Thursday, November 12, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ahead of the Memphis at South Florida college football game. All editions of SportsCenter on Veterans Day will include special features and guests.
  • ESPN’s NFL coverage will recognize Veterans Week across Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, and Monday Night Football. On Sunday, November 8, Sunday NFL Countdown will present a Veterans Day-themed edition featuring the program’s second-ever live studio audience, made up of veterans representing all branches of the military. Hosted by Mike Greenberg alongside Randy Moss, Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan, Alex Smith, Adam Schefter, and Erin Dolan, the three-hour broadcast will air from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET with special segments, interviews, and on-site recognition. Katie Feeney will also capture Veterans Day-themed social content.
  • During the Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, viewers will hear stories from players and coaches with personal connections to the holiday, along with video shoutouts from military members and veterans around the world supporting their NFL teams. On Monday Night Countdown, Michelle Beisner-Buck will share the story of Vikings running back Aaron Jones’ recent meeting with a former Army Green Beret.
  • The NFL’s 2026 International Series will also incorporate a military tribute during the Atlanta Falcons-Cincinnati Bengals game in Madrid on November 8. The matchup is part of the NFL’s Salute to Service week and will include a military salute from U.S. Naval Station Rota in Spain. On November 15, soldiers from the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, will join the NFL GameDay Morning team on the studio’s football field to offer their picks for Week 10.
  • College sports coverage will include Veterans Week vignettes and features highlighting military service in the families of athletes and coaches. College GameDay on Saturday, November 14, will share stories of family legacies of service, along with shoutouts from service members supporting their favorite teams.
  • One featured story, “Coach Whitt,” reported by Jen Lada, will air on College GameDay and SEC Nation. The piece profiles Army veteran Rusty Whitt, Florida’s Director of Football Performance. Inspired to serve following September 11, 2001, Whitt enlisted the following year, stepping away from his career as a college strength coach. After six years in the Army, he returned to college football and now shares his experiences with the Gators.
  • ESPN+ will also stream the annual Secretaries’ Cup football game between the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday, November 14, at 1 p.m. ET. The rivalry game will take place at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., and stream on the ESPN App with an applicable ESPN plan. ESPN and the two academies recently renewed their media rights agreement for the annual matchup through 2030. ACC Network and SEC Network will also air America’s Heroes vignettes featuring football and basketball coaches and athletes expressing their appreciation for veterans.
  • ESPN will honor the legacy of Pat Tillman with multiple airings of the E60 documentary “Pat Tillman: Life. Death. Legacy.” November 6 would have marked Tillman’s 50th birthday. The former NFL defensive back became an Army Ranger and died from friendly fire in Afghanistan. The one-hour documentary features reporting and interviews examining his life and tragic story.
  • Another featured film, SC Featured: “The Return,” follows Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Vietnam veteran Rocky Bleier as he returns to the valley in Vietnam where he was wounded in 1969, revisiting the location for the first time since that day.
  • Beyond television, ESPN’s social teams will create content highlighting current and former athletes with military ties, adapt ESPN-produced stories for social platforms, and amplify tributes during live game coverage. ESPN Radio will also feature themed segments, interviews, and tributes throughout the week.
  • The initiative extends beyond programming through The Walt Disney Company and ESPN’s ongoing support of organizations serving veterans and military families. Disney continues to support Student Veterans of America (SVA), helping veterans transition from military life to college and careers through virtual career centers. Disney and ESPN have supported the organization’s growth over the past decade, including a recent donation for SVA’s new virtual career center. ESPN will also spotlight SVA members during College GameDay on November 14.
  • ESPN is continuing its partnership with Disabled American Veterans (DAV), supporting career fairs and professional development opportunities for veterans and military spouses. Over the past four years, ESPN’s support of DAV career fairs has reached more than 14,000 active military members, veterans, and spouses, resulting in 10,000 interviews and 10,317 job offers.
  • Throughout Veterans Week, ESPN’s Salute BERG will also recognize employees who have self-identified as veterans with a special credit roll honoring their service.

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