Jon Gruden works with Minnesota college QB who played after cancer diagnosis

Former NFL coach and media personality Jon Gruden hosted a local Division III quarterback and pitcher who has been diagnosed with cancer.

In June 2025, Jack Curtis was diagnosed with late-stage II unfavorable Hodgkin's lymphoma. Despite the diagnosis, Curtis hasn't let it get in the way of playing out his senior season for the Carleton College Knights, where he stars as the football team’s quarterback and a pitcher for the baseball team.

In 2025, Curtis helped lead the college football team, which is based in Northfield, to a 6-4 record while throwing for 3,120 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions, while completing 72% of his passes. Curtis finished his college football career with 8,599 passing yards, 83 touchdown passes, and 31 interceptions.

On the diamond, Curtis has yet to appear in a game for the 5-11 Knights this season. During his previous two seasons, he posted a 4.74 ERA with a 2-2 record in 10 appearances, tallying 20 strikeouts while allowing 23 earned runs.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Gruden announced that he had hosted Curtis for the day. Gruden now runs a YouTube channel featuring his popular "QB Class" series, where he interviews quarterback prospects, watches game tape, and conducts on-field drills.