Jack Hoffman Dies at 19; Nebraska Fan Was Known for Viral TD in 2013 Spring Game

Jack Hoffman, who helped inspire millions of dollars of donations to aid pediatric brain cancer research as a seven-year-old Nebraska fan who ran for a touchdown in the 2013 spring game, died Wednesday at the age of 19.

ESPN's Elizabeth Merrill reported he was first diagnosed with a cancerous glioma 14 years ago at the age of five.

He was a massive Cornhuskers fan and became friends with his favorite player, Rex Burkhead, after his family reached out to the school. Nebraska also put Jack in for a play during that 2013 spring game, and he ran for a 69-yard touchdown in front of a raucous crowd.

Hoffman won an ESPY for that run and met President Barack Obama. What's more, his father Andy Hoffman—who found a doctor in Boston who extracted more than 90 percent of Jack's tumor when he was a child—then launched the Team Jack Foundation.

According to Merrill, the Team Jack Foundation has raised more than $14 million in the aftermath of Hoffman's appearance at the 2013 spring game with the money benefitting pediatric brain cancer research.

Andy Hoffman died in 2021 less than a year after he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, which is an aggressive brain cancer.

As for Jack, he eventually played high school football despite his diagnosis and started his freshman year at the University of Nebraska's pre-law program this past fall. He earned a spot on the dean's list in the past semester.

However, he underwent a tumor resection surgery in summer 2024 after brain scans revealed tumor progression. He also underwent 30 radiation treatments prior to starting at Nebraska.

"Jack was widely admired across Nebraska and beyond for his courageous spirit and dedication to raising awareness about childhood cancer through the Team Jack Foundation," the school's statement read. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jack's family, friends and all those whose lives he touched. His connection to the UNK community was meaningful, and his impact will not be forgotten. We are grateful for the time he shared with us."