Jack Ham Doing 'Much, Much Better,' Penn State Broadcaster Steve Jones Says

Jack Ham is doing "much, much better," after experiencing a medical emergency before the Penn State-Washington football game, Penn State broadcaster Steve Jones said on his radio show Monday morning.

Ham remained at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle on Monday, two days after being hospitalized. Jones, who has partnered with Ham on Penn State football radio broadcasts since 2000, said that the Hall of Fame linebacker is "doing well" and "sounds great." Ham called Jones on Monday morning prior to Jones' show.

"It is important that everybody knows that he's doing well, that he sounds great, and it is really ... encouraging," Jones said on his show, "Sports Talk with Steve Jones."

Ham, 77, experienced what Penn State called a "medical emergency" just after the Nittany Lions arrived at Husky Stadium for their game against Washington. He was transported to University of Washington Medical Center, where he has been since Saturday.

After the game, Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft, football coach Matt Campbell and Jones visited Ham in the hospital before returning to State College. Jones said on his radio show that, during their visit, "you could tell right away how much better he was in a short period of time." Jones and Ham spoke again Sunday and Monday.

"There's no question he's doing better," Jones said on his show Monday. "... We were talking about the game [Penn State won 28-25]. He was talking about the drive at the end and he said the last time Penn State did something like that was that Minnesota game two years ago.

"... He looked so much better on Saturday night, he sounded really good yesterday and when he called me this morning he sounded really good. .... We'll do this a step at a time, but know the progress has been made has been really good."

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Following Saturday's game, Campbell called the situation a "gut-wrenching day for Penn State football." The Nittany Lions coach praised Jones' "heroic" efforts in helping Ham and Washington athletic officials and emergency services for their quick response.

"How that guy played the game, how he still to this day serves our football program, it was awesome to be able to go win the football game for him and his family," Campbell said of Ham. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with him on a full recovery."

Ham is the first Penn State football player inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. The Johnstown, Pennsylvania, native was the last player offered a scholarship to Penn State's 1966 team. He went on to become a consensus All-American at Penn State and played for two straight unbeaten teams in 1968 and 1969.

Ham played linebacker 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning four Super Bowl titles, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. He has been with the Penn State Sports Network since 2000.

"Jack is so beloved by people because of the person he is, because of the professional, because of how he treats people," Jones said of Ham on his radio show.

Penn State coach Matt Campbell on Jack Ham, who is in stable condition. pic.twitter.com/lJsQC8sZeK
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) November 8, 2026

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