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Jan. 26 (UPI) -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Friday that 15 recipients of the Medal of Honor will be honored Feb. 4 during Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. The 15 recipients of the Medal of Honor -- considered the most prestigious military decoration in the United States -- will participate in the official coin toss ceremony before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots.
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Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams, a World War II veteran who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima, will flip the coin. The ceremony will be televised live by NBC.
"The NFL is proud to honor our Nation's heroes at Super Bowl LII," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "These courageous individuals deserve to be recognized on America's biggest stage. We are grateful for their service to our country and we are pleased to continue the NFL's longstanding tradition of hosting special tributes to service members at the Super Bowl."
During last year's Super Bowl game in Houston, President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush did the coin toss.
The week of Super Bowl festivities will include several other military honors including a Military Appreciation Day at the NFL's interactive theme park and a recognition of the 2017 Salute to Service Award, which acknowledges efforts made by the NFL community to honor and support the military community.
To date, there have been 3,517 Medals of Honor awarded to recipients in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.
