Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jack Ham was taken to the hospital after suffering a scary medical emergency in Seattle – but without the ‘heroic effort’ of his co-worker, it could have been even worse.
The Hall of Fame linebacker won four Super Bowl titles during a remarkable NFL career that saw him spend more than a decade with the Steelers.
Ham also played linebacker for Penn State and has worked as a radio analyst for the Nittany Lions since 2000. He was in Seattle ahead of their clash with Washington on Saturday.
But Penn State revealed in a statement that the 77-year-old ‘experienced a medical emergency earlier today and was transported to the UW Medical Center, where he is being treated.’
Later on Saturday, head coach Matt Campbell revealed that Ham is in ‘stable condition’ after play-by-play announcer Steve Jones, the voice of Penn State football, rushed to his aid.
‘If not for Steve and what he did, I don’t know if we would have as good a news as we do right now,’ Campbell said.
Steelers legend Jack Ham was taken to the hospital after suffering a medical emergency
The Hall of Fame linebacker won four Super Bowl titles during a remarkable NFL career
Ham was an eight-time Pro Bowler who was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1970s
‘It was a gut-wrenching day for Penn State football with Jack Ham, obviously a really tough situation as we got off the buses here. First of all, I think we should all know [about] Steve Jones and the heroic effort that he did for someone he loves dearly.’
Campbell also paid tribute to the ‘incredible’ medics who treated Ham, and dedicated Saturday’s win over Washington to the 77-year-old and his family. ‘Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with him,’ he added.
He helped the Steelers win four Super Bowl championships in the space of six seasons during a decorated career in Pittsburgh.
Ham was also an eight-time Pro Bowler who was named to both the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 1970s and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time team.
The 77-year-old was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Penn State went on to win 28-25 against the Washington Huskies on Saturday.
