David Pollack’s life was a dream run, full of love and the game he lived for. From his glory days as a Georgia Bulldog linebacker, to the bright lights of the NFL, he seemed to have it all. Then, the universe gifted him a picture-perfect family: a loving wife, Lindsey, and two kids. But life, as it often does, threw a flag on the play.
Lindsey was diagnosed with brain cancer, and their happiness hit a sudden, jarring pause. Yet, as they say, tough times show your true team. And for David, the support poured in. His once-upon-a-time co-host Kirk Herbstreit and his successor Pat McAfee send prayers.
Kirk Herbstreit steps up for old colleague David Pollack
March 10, happened to be a normal day for the football fans. Until David came up with the heart-wrenching post on X, “I do not share much of my personal life on social media, but today is gonna be different.” The matter is serious and needs immediate action, as the ex-linebacker stated, “If you are the praying type, please lift up my wife Lindsey. She has brain cancer and surgery is Wednesday at Duke. So thankful to serve a loving God that meets us in our struggles.”
David did earn fame for his Dawgs career and later on being the first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals; his career as an analyst has been equally successful. From 2011 through 2023, Pollack was a part of ESPN’s College Game Day. So, this news immediately reached the long-time host Herbstreit.
In his three-decade-long career with ESPN, Herbstreit has shared the stage with many colleagues, including David. The ex-linebacker’s time at ESPN was done, but he still had Herbstreit’s back when he landed in controversy about players opting out of bowl games. Now it’s time for Herbstreit to stand beside Pollack in his hard times. The current GameDay host tweeted, “Prayers for Lindsey and the entire Pollack family. ” Well, in Herbstreit’s case he can feel what David’s going through on a personal level.
After all, Kirk Herbstreit has walked a similar path; his wife, Alison Butler, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. Like David and Lindsey, Kirk and Alison are a happy couple, married since 1998. The ESPN College GameDay host also lost his golden retriever, Ben, to cancer. Following Herbstreit’s example, McAfee didn’t hesitate to offer David his moral support.
Pat McAfee stands by David Pollack’s side, relating to the pain
Well, there was a time, when college football fans were really upset with McAfee. The reason? He replaced the former longtime college football analyst, David, who was laid off by ESPN in June 2023. However, not once was there any mud-slinging between the two. Even though the fans did not spare McAfee, the ex-Indianapolis punter has always had a deep respect for David. He once shared, “And then on GameDay, David Pollack got let go. David Pollack—who I am a massive fan of. One of the greatest Bulldogs of all-time. A dude who was very good to me—obviously, I took his spot.”
So, given the current situation, he could not hold himself back. On March 10, McAfee tweeted, “All my positive vibes and prayers brother .” Even though not directly, McAfee too had to go through a tough time given his family’s health issues. His wife, Samantha, had to fight her battle against infertility.
Back in November 2022, Samantha opened up about their journey of conceiving through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Before that, she had two miscarriages that made the process even more physically and mentally demanding. “After about 150 shots, a surgery, a transfer, countless blood tests, waiting on embryos, genetic testing, hoping for a big fat positive on a pee stick. So much support from family & close friends. We are beyond happy & blessed to announce our double rainbow baby!”
And it’s not just Herbstreit; even the McAfees’ dog, Valerie, battled a cancer scare back in 2020 and won. With colleagues rallying and prayers pouring in for David and Lindsey, here’s hoping strength wins out over cancer.
The post Kirk Herbstreit & Pat McAfee Send Prayers as David Pollack Gives Update on Wife’s Brain Cancer Battle appeared first on EssentiallySports.
