Penn State, Pittsburgh Football Legend Jack Ham Stable After Medical Emergency

SEATTLE | Penn State football broadcaster and legendary NFL linebacker Jack Ham was in stable condition Saturday night at the University of Washington Medical Center after experiencing a medical emergency at Husky Stadium.

Ham, a Hall of Fame linebacker with Penn State and the Pittsburgh Steelers, arrived to the stadium on a team bus Saturday morning when the incident occurred. Penn State did not release details of Ham's situation, saying only that he experienced the emergency just after the team arrived to the stadium.

The Nittany Lions defeated Washington 28-25 on a day that head coach Matt Campbell called "gut-wrenching." Ham, 77, has been part of the Penn State Sports Network broadcast team since 2000 and was a College Football Hall of Fame at Penn State in the 1960s.

"This was a gut-wrenching day for Penn State football with Jack Ham," Campbell said after the game. "Obviously a really tough situation as we got off the buses here."

Campbell said that Steve Jones, Penn State football's long-time play-by-play broadcaster who has called games with Ham for nearly 27 years, was instrumental in getting Ham the immediate care he required. Campbell also thanked Washington athletic officials and emergency services at the stadium.

"I think we all should know [about] Steve Jones and the heroic effort that he did for somebody he loves dearly," Campbell said of the Penn State broadcaster. "And if it's not for Steve and what he did, I don't know if we'd have as good news as we do right now."

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

Campbell said that he spoke with players, some of whom were nearby when it occurred, about the situation in the locker room before the game. The Penn State coach said he felt that it was "critical" for players to understand the situation.

"The emotion of that, I was really proud of our football team," Campbell said. "We talked about it a little bit before we went out to the game. Just the courage of our kids to play with what Jack Ham means to Penn State football."

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Ham became the first Penn State player inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Ham 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 '69.

Ham then played linebacker 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

"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. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with him on a full recovery."

Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas, the Nittany Lions' leading tackler this season, said he has spent the past four years talking with Ham at practice about football and much more.

"Obviously Jack’s the best, and we all love him," Rojas said. "So we’re just praying for the best, and he’ll be OK."

Jones stayed on the broadcast for Penn State, which took a 28-6 halftime lead over the Huskies. The Nittany Lions dominated the first 30 minutes, scoring four first-half touchdowns for the first time in a Big Ten game this season.

Penn State then held on as Washington scored 19 unanswered points in the second half, including a pair of touchdowns and two-point conversions. The Nittany Lions sealed the victory with a 14-play, 70-yard drive that consumed the final 7:40.

Running back Carson Hansen headlined the drive with a 36-yard run on second-and-five, putting him over 100 yards for the day. Hansen finished with a season-high 119 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Former Penn State Nittany Lions players Franco Harris (left) and Jack Ham (right) greet fans before a game at Beaver Stadium. — Former Penn State Nittany Lions players Franco Harris (left) and Jack Ham (right) greet fans prior to a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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