But Jack kept fighting. And the football program never forgot him. In 2014, new head coach Mike Riley invited Jack back as an honorary captain. In 2017, Scott Frost—the former Nebraska quarterback who had watched the spring game run from afar—named Jack an "honorary Husker for life."
Burkhead’s involvement caught the attention of then-head coach Bo Pelini. Soon, the entire Nebraska football program adopted Jack. He was given a locker, a jersey (No. 22, Burkhead’s number), and a spot on the sideline during practices. For Jack, the football field became a refuge—a place where he wasn’t a sick kid but a teammate. But Jack kept fighting
By 2015, the foundation had expanded nationwide. They began funding clinical trials for new immunotherapies, hoping to find treatments that were less toxic to developing brains than traditional chemotherapy and radiation. Jack’s journey was never linear. He underwent multiple brain surgeries, including a second major resection in 2014. He suffered from seizures, hormone deficiencies, and cognitive delays caused by radiation. There were dark periods when doctors offered little hope. In 2017, Scott Frost—the former Nebraska quarterback who
With 1:24 remaining in the second quarter, Coach Pelini called a timeout. He walked onto the field, took the microphone, and announced: "We’re gonna put Jack in the game." 22, Burkhead’s number), and a spot on the
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