Penn State broadcaster Jack Ham is in “stable” condition after a medical emergency sent him to the hospital Saturday morning and kept him out of the Washington game.
Ham was at Husky Stadium with the Nittany Lions before the 12:30 p.m. Pacific kickoff, but he did not make it to the broadcast booth. The team later learned he was being treated at the University of Washington Medical Center.
After Penn State’s 28-25 win, coach Matt Campbell said the moment hit hard for everyone around the program.
“gut wrenching,” Campbell said.
“We prayed as a football team before we went on the field for one of the great warriors in our football family,” Campbell said after the Lions’ 28-25 win. “To watch our kids play with his guts and his heart and his fighting spirit, it was awesome to win the game for him and his family.”
Campbell, along with Steve Jones and Pat Kraft, visited Ham after the game and said “our prayers will continue.”
The team flew back to State College after the game, while Ham remained in Seattle.
Campbell also singled out Jones, Penn State’s longtime play-by-play voice, for helping in the situation.
“for the heroic effort that he did for somebody he loves dearly. And if it not for Steve and what he did, I don’t know if we would have as good a news as we do right now.”
Ham, a former Penn State linebacker, is in both the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also a major part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ four Super Bowl titles.
A Johnstown native and Bishop McCort High School graduate, Ham has been Penn State’s color analyst since 2000.
Brian Tripp, usually the sideline reporter, filled in for Ham and drew praise from Jones.
“for doing a phenomenal job. My co-workers were outstanding, and the broadcast did not miss a beat.”
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Penn State Fans Finally Got An Encouraging Jack Ham Update
Penn State fans got a reassuring update on Jack Ham after the longtime Nittany Lions legend and radio color commentator experienced a medical emergency in Seattle ahead of the Penn State-Washington game. Ham was treated at the University of Washington Medical Center, and Penn State athletics later confirmed the incident while saying he is in stable condition.
Matt Campbell and the teams broadcasters have since offered updates and support for Ham and his family, a reminder of how deeply he remains woven into the programs identity. For a fan base that has followed him for generations, the immediate concern was simply hearing that the Hall of Fame linebacker was getting the care he needed and was in a better place than the initial news suggested. [Read more 🡒]
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Matt Campbell pointed to schematic adjustments and a growing sense of confidence up front as the biggest reasons for the turnaround. For an offense that had been searching for consistency on the ground, the change has been hard to miss, and it has given Penn State another layer to lean on as the season moves forward. The question now is whether that progress can hold when the competition stiffens again. [Read more 🡒]