NFL legends Donnie Edwards, Tony Richardson and Amani Toomer traveled to Okinawa, Japan, this week to connect with American service members and their families and show their gratitude for our men and women in uniform.

As part of Salute to Service, the NFL’s year-round effort to honor, empower and connect service members, veterans and their families, the three former players visited service members and families at several bases on Okinawa, met with installation commanders and participated in unit visits. Edwards, on his sixth USO tour, and Richardson – both former stars with the Kansas City Chiefs – caught up with some of their biggest fans. Amani Toomer, a longtime New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl XLII champion, connected with his fans, too.

“It was great to see how excited the service members were that we were there, because we were more excited to meet with them face-to-face and learn about what they do,” Toomer said.

For Richardson and Edwards, this USO tour was a personal one. “I wouldn’t be where I am in my life without my sister, who served for 28 years with four deployments, and my dad being the ultimate role models and setting the high standards for my family,” Richardson said. “Discipline, structure and attention to detail were some of the values I learned from the military that also apply to the NFL and my everyday life.”

“It was an honor to be a part of the first All-NFL Legends USO Tour. It means a lot to me, since I grew up in a military family,” Edwards said. “To shake hands with the troops and to recognize and honor their service personally in their place of work overseas was very impactful.”

NFL legends Donnie Edwards, center, Tony Richardson, left, and Amani Toomer traveled to Okinawa, Japan, to connect with American service members and their families and show their gratitude for our men and women in uniform. USO photos by Amber Craig
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NFL legends Donnie Edwards, center, Tony Richardson, left, and Amani Toomer traveled to Okinawa, Japan, to connect with American service members and their families and show their gratitude for our men and women in uniform. USO photos by Amber Craig

Former NFL star Tony Richardson, who played most of his 16-year NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, poses for a photo with a young fan during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Former NFL star Tony Richardson, who played most of his 16-year NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, poses for a photo with a young fan during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Former New York Giants star Amani Toomer spends time with some young NFL fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Former New York Giants star Amani Toomer spends time with some young NFL fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Donnie Edwards, left, and Tony Richardson both played for the Kansas City Chiefs during their NFL careers and they met one of their biggest fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Donnie Edwards, left, and Tony Richardson both played for the Kansas City Chiefs during their NFL careers and they met one of their biggest fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer takes a seat inside a military aircraft during the USO-NFL Legends tour of Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer takes a seat inside a military aircraft during the USO-NFL Legends tour of Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Marines show off some NFL challenge coins during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Marines show off some NFL challenge coins during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Amani Toomer signs an autograph for one of his biggest fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Amani Toomer signs an autograph for one of his biggest fans during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

Former Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards tries on military gear during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig
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Former Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards tries on military gear during the USO-NFL Legends tour to Okinawa, Japan, on July 25-26. USO photos by Amber Craig

NFL legends Donnie Edwards, Tony Richardson and Amani Toomer traveled to Okinawa, Japan, July 25-26 to connect with American service members and their families and show their gratitude for our men and women in uniform. USO photos by Amber Craig
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NFL legends Donnie Edwards, Tony Richardson and Amani Toomer traveled to Okinawa, Japan, July 25-26 to connect with American service members and their families and show their gratitude for our men and women in uniform. USO photos by Amber Craig

The group also took part in a military working dog demonstration, visited an air defense artillery unit and got a close-up view of aircraft and the maintainers who keep them in the air.

“For more than 50 years, the USO and NFL have partnered to bring a piece of home to service members, no matter where they are in the world,” said Kristina Griffin, the USO’s Corporate Alliances Senior Director. “This trip with NFL legends is a continuation of this long-standing partnership and our joint efforts to keep service members connected to family, home, and country.”

The trip was the third USO-NFL tour of 2018. In April, five players – Ben Garland, Mario Addison, Mark Ingram, Carlos Dunlap and Latavius Murray – and former head coach Rex Ryan traveled to Italy in Germany to salute our troops. In June, the Atlanta Falcons traveled to Iraq and Kuwait to thank deployed service members. Falcons CEO Steve Cannon, head coach Dan Quinn, players Alex Mack and Matt Bryant, and cheerleaders Brianna Stade and Alexandria Giannini met troops at seven bases in three days. Garland, an Air Force Academy graduate and Falcons offensive guard, went on his second USO tour in three months and joined his teammates on the tour.

In addition to overseas morale-building visits, the NFL has supported several different USO programs and initiatives through Salute to Service, including flag football programming and the expansion and renovation of USO centers around the world.