Jack Hoffman, the cancer patient who captured the hearts of Nebraska football fans and inspired the nation at age 7 when he ran for a touchdown in the Cornhuskers’ 2013 spring game, died at the age of 19.
Kylie Dockter, executive director of the Team Jack Foundation, said Hoffman died Wednesday morning of brain cancer at his home in Atkinson, Nebraska. Medical tests carried out in October confirmed the development of new, more aggressive tumors.
Hoffman was initially diagnosed in 2011, and his parents, Andy and Bri Hoffman, were the driving force behind the Team Jack Foundation, which supports pediatric brain cancer research.
Andy Hoffman was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2020 and died at age 42 on March 1, 2021.
Jack was an avid Nebraska football fan and shortly after his diagnosis struck up a friendship with Huskers running back and future NFL player Rex Burkhead.
The nation was introduced to Jack at 2013 Nebraska Spring Gameafter the coaching staff invited him to play in the fourth quarter. Wearing a miniature Burkhead uniform, he took the handoff from Taylor Martinez and raced 69 yards to the end zone.
Players from both sides flocked onto the pitch, followed him to the goal line and mobbed him, lifting him onto their shoulders, to the delight of the 60,000 spectators. ESPN and national news networks aired video of Jack’s TD run for several days and it was viewed millions of times on YouTube.
Three weeks later, Jack, his family and Burkhead visited President Barack Obama for 15 minutes in the Oval Office. Obama presented Jack with a new football and told him he was proud of him.
A few months later, Jack’s touchdown won ESPN’s 2013 ESPY Award for “Best Sports Moment.”
Jack later played on the Atkinson High School football team. He graduated in May and studied pre-law at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
