University of Nebraska football superfan Jack Hoffman, who famously ran for a touchdown during a 2013 Cornhuskers’ game, has died after a 14-year battle with brain cancer.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Jack Hoffman,” the Team Jack Foundation confirmed in a Wednesday, January 15, statement via Facebook. “Jack passed away after a long battle with brain cancer, a journey that inspired countless lives and left a legacy of hope, strength, and resilience. Jack Hoffman, you will always be our hero.”
Hoffman passed away at his home in Atkinson, Nebraska. According to the Team Jack website, pathology results after a tumor resection surgery in summer 2024 revealed that his tumor had advanced to a high-grade glioma. He was 19 years old.
After being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011, Jack formed a bond with Huskers running back Rex Burkhead after his father, Andy Hoffman, reached out to the star player. Two years later, the Nebraska coaching staff invited him to run a play during the fourth quarter of a spring game. Rocking a miniature No. 22 Burkhead jersey, Hoffman — who was 7 years old at the time — took a handoff from Taylor Martinez and ran 69 yards into the end zone of Memorial Stadium to the cheers of 60,000 people.
A video of the game, which became known as “The Run,” garnered millions of views on YouTube, and weeks later, Jack accompanied Burkhead to visit Barack Obama in the Oval Office. In July 2013, he was awarded ESPN’s ESPY Award for “Best Moment in Sports.”
Jack’s moment in the spotlight helped his parents launch their foundation, which has since raised more than $14 million to aid pediatric brain cancer research. (Andy died from glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2021 at age 42.)
Love you buddy. Tell Jesus we say hello. https://t.co/ipiVTZbZGe
— Rex Burkhead (@RBrex34) January 15, 2025
“Jack Hoffman embodied what it means to be a Husker every day through his courage, fight, and inspiration,” the official social media account for the Nebraska Cornhuskers wrote via X on Wednesday. “We are heartbroken by his loss and send all our love to the Hoffman family.”
Burkhead — who is now a player for the NFL’s Houston Texans — also sent his condolences via X, writing, “Love you buddy. Tell Jesus we say hello.”
Despite his diagnosis, Jack played on his own high school football team as a lineman before becoming a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2024, studying political science. The school released a statement on Wednesday calling the teen a “valued member of our Loper community,” revealing that Jack made the Dean’s list this past semester.
“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.”
In a 2020 interview with ESPN, Jack reflected on “The Run,” revealing he didn’t realize the moment would be a big deal. He recalled not knowing where the endzone was and remembered the words of wisdom his father shared that he carried with him years later: “If you don’t know it, just run until you hit the fence.”
Jack is survived by his mother, Bri Hoffman, and two sisters.
