David Pollack has always been a fighter—whether sacking quarterbacks or breaking down plays on ESPN’s College GameDay. But this time, the battle hit home. Earlier last month, the former Georgia Bulldogs DE made a touching plea: “If you are the praying type, please lift up my wife, Lindsey.” She was diagnosed with brain cancer and faced a critical craniotomy at Duke. On March 13, after six long hours in surgery, doctors removed most of the tumor. Since then, a wave of support—Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, fans—flooded in. Now, Pollack’s latest update is nothing short of awe-inspiring. He’s opened up about the journey—raw, real, and rooted in faith.

Speaking on his Family Goals podcast nearly five weeks after the surgery, Pollack revealed that his wife. Lindsey is steadily progressing—but the path ahead is steep. “She’s fighting, for sure,” he said. “She’s swinging. That’s what we’ve got to do. Keep swinging.” Despite lingering challenges like fatigue and limited movement in her left arm, Lindsey’s spirited personality has shone through. David Pollack was candid about how the journey has tested them but credited Lindsey’s unwavering faith for lifting the family through the fog. “She’s got such a strong personality,” he said. “Even when the body’s weak, the spirit’s strong. That’s what’s getting us through this.”

One moment, in particular, has become a symbol of that spirit. A video David Pollack posted just hours after Lindsey’s operation went viral for all the right reasons. Family Goals podcast co-host Jonathan Howes described the moment: “She couldn’t open her eyes, she couldn’t talk, but she is praising God.” The video showed Lindsey—groggy and unable to speak—lifting both arms in worship as the praise song Goodness of God played in the background. “That’s her favorite song. Rhett Walker is her favorite version….this is a couple of hours after surgery,” Pollack recalled.

What stunned him most was the movement of her left hand—something she hadn’t been able to do post-op. “When you have the right frontal surgery, it affects the left side. So the next two days, they would come in and say, ‘hey Lindsey lift your hands.’ Her left hand wouldn’t go up. Her right hand would go up easily. But in that video, her left hand went up perfectly. She hadn’t opened her eyes. Hadn’t said a word yet. But the way I describe it to people that the spirit would not be denied.”

That video didn’t just touch fans—it shook Pollack to his core. For a man who’s suffered his own traumatic injury and comeback (a career-ending spinal fracture while playing for the Bengals in 2006). Watching his wife’s silent but powerful act of worship stirred something deeper. The moment felt less like an anomaly and more like divine reassurance. “It’s like her soul responded before her body could,” Pollack said. “That was God working.”

As Lindsey continues her recovery at home, the updates are encouraging. Light workouts, short walks, even a few household chores. Small wins that feel monumental in the wake of major surgery. But there’s still a long road ahead. “It’s going to be a climb,” Pollack admitted, “but we’re not going anywhere. We’ll take it step by step.”

And through it all, the Pollacks are holding tight to their faith and each other. While many know David as the bold voice dissecting cover-two schemes or evaluating five-star prospects, these past few weeks have revealed a softer, deeply personal side. “It’s not just about football,” he said. “It’s about showing up for your people. It’s about love, about trust in something bigger than yourself.”

Few knew that Pollack himself had already endured a life-changing surgery nearly two decades ago.

David Pollack opens up about his life’s toughest battle

David Pollack has stared down some brutal moments in his life—including a fractured neck in 2005 that ended his NFL career just as it was getting started. But as he recently shared, that injury was actually easier to face than the emotional toll of watching someone he loves go through something similar with Lindsey Pollack.

Reflecting on the difference between his own physical pain and the emotional weight of his wife’s struggles, Pollack said, “I think the thing I’m learning, like with the neck injury, the biggest difference I’m learning with that it was easier because it was me.” He continued, “It’s easier when it’s you. When it’s not, it’s your spouse, it’s a lot harder. It’s a lot more difficult.”

That raw honesty shows how real life gets after football. The former linebacker also shared how he’s learning to cope with the emotional stress: “I’ve learned that if I don’t strap on the armor, every day, I’m going to fail.” Pollack’s toughest opponent might just be life itself, and he’s suiting up every day.