Aug 20, 2014 12:50 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Jack Hoffman's brain cancer has returned, but the University of Nebraska's football team is standing with their eight-year-old mega-fan.

In a video posted by the Big Ten Network, Cornhuskers' head football coach Po Pelini led his team in a heartfelt message to the Hoffman family. According to ESPN, Jack's father Andy announced in a blog post that his son's brain cancer was no longer in remission.

CLICK HERE to see the video.

"Today, we were humbly reminded that when your child has an inoperable brain tumor, that anything can happen at any point in time," Andy Hoffman wrote. "Despite Jack's tumor being declared in remission last October, today we learned that is no longer the case."

In April 2013, Jack Hoffman's story became national when the Nebraska Cornhuskers made his special wish come true. At seven years old, Hoffman took the field as the tailback for the red team in the Cornhuskers' spring game. He took a handoff from quarterback Taylor Martinez, started left and then reversed his direction for a 69-yard touchdown run.

Jack's touchdown run reigned as the top play on ESPN's Top Ten list for several weeks and eventually won him an ESPY Award for "Best Moment."

His wish was to meet the team's running back Rex Burkhead and play for the team. After his touchdown run, Jack was hoisted above the team as the Cornhuskers rallied around him.

Now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Burkhead and Jack have maintained a close friendship and the Hoffmans will be special guests Thursday at Arrowhead stadium for an NFL exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs, ESPN reported.

"This is a mild setback," Andy Hoffman told the Cornhuskers' website, "and everyone remains optimistic for Jack, including and especially his mom and dad."

One of the best outcomes of Jack's illness has been Team Jack, an initiative the Cornhuskers players started to raise money for pediatric brain cancer research. The Team Jack Foundation has since raised $1.5 million dollars through memorabilia sales and donations.

Nebraska football players also wear rubber bracelets during games to remind themselves not to stop fighting, like Jack.

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