Cowboys DC Dan Quinn of Morristown nominated for Salute to Service Award

Dan Quinn didn't serve in the military, but he understands very well the importance of building a cohesive team and staying resilient in the face of adversity, something the men and women of the armed forces are asked to do every day, under far more challenging circumstances.

The Cowboys defensive coordinator has been a longtime supporter of service members, veterans, and their families throughout his coaching career. And now Quinn has been named this year's nominee by the team for the USAA Salute to Service Award.

The annual award is meant to honor a player, coach, staff member, or alumni who has demonstrated a commitment to "honor, empower, and connect with those that preserve our freedoms."

Quinn, a Morristown High School graduate, won the award in 2016 as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

In Seattle, he founded Quinn's Corps, a program that honors military service members. Since arriving in Dallas, he's taken part in events put on by Merging Vets and Players (MVP), hosting workouts and mental health discussions with local veterans at the Cowboys' facilities in Frisco.

An NFL press release touted Quinn's continued personal commitment to supporting the military community, citing "his personal interactions with those that dedicate their lives to service, from childhood friends to family members to chance encounters with veterans."

Back in May, Quinn was the special guest speaker for a webinar on "Molding a Winning Team" hosted by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.

Though the stakes are ultimately nothing alike between the two arenas, Quinn knows that it takes a similar team-first mindset to achieve success on both the battlefield and the gridiron.

"You know you're playing for something that's bigger than yourself," Quinn said. "We're trying to do something that's really difficult, really challenging, and it's going to take all of us in different ways to do that… If you really want to get great at something, you're not going to go there by yourself."

This year, fans can vote for their favorite nominee from each of the NFL's 32 teams. Votes are tallied through the end of November, the league's annual month-long celebration of active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.

The Salute to Service finalists will be revealed in January; the winner will be announced during Super Bowl Week.

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Cowboys' Dan Quinn of Morristown nominated for NFL service award