Professional sports teams across the country received $6.8 million from the Defense Department for displays of “paid patriotism,” such as salutes to wounded warriors, according to a new congressional report released Wednesday.

Contracts were extended to teams in five major sports leagues, including 18 NFL franchises. Most of the money went through the Army National Guard, which paid teams such as the Minnesota Vikings “for the ‘opportunity’ to sponsor its military appreciation night.” From 2012 to 2015, the Georgia Army National Guard paid $879,000 to the Atlanta Falcons, according to the report. Their Massachusetts counterparts paid the New England Patriots $700,000 to honor local soldiers and provide them tickets to games and training camp.

“By paying for such heartwarming displays like recognition of wounded warriors, surprise homecomings, and on-field enlistment ceremonies, these displays lost their luster,” Arizona senators John McCain and Jeff Flake wrote in the report.

“It is hard to understand how a team accepting taxpayer funds to sponsor a military appreciation game, or to recognize wounded warriors or returning troops, can be construed as anything other than paid patriotism,” they added. “Given the immense sacrifices made by our service members, it seems more appropriate that any organization with a genuine interest in honoring them, and deriving public credit as a result, should do so at its own expense and not at that of the American taxpayer.”

The Pentagon had previously defended the deals as an effective recruitment tool for the military, but is dropping them in the face of pressure from McCain and Flake. NFL defenders of the contracts argued they benefited the military and emphasized that the teams in question also gave uncompensated honors to service members.

#share#“Our marketing and sponsorship agreement with the National Guard is designed to fulfill their objectives of increasing awareness and aiding in recruiting efforts, which has become more important in an all-volunteer service environment,” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank wrote in May. “It is regretful that the good works of our NFL league office and teams were overlooked in the news stories of the last few days, and I hope this letter aids in painting a more accurate portrayal.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell promised to review the Arizona senators’ allegations of “recruitment funds being used for tribute activities” this week. “If we find that inappropriate payments were made, they will be refunded in full,” Goodell wrote to McCain and Flake on Monday.

— Joel Gehrke is a political reporter for National Review.