Jeff Hanisch – USA TODAY Sports
At the most recent edition of the ESPY Awards, the trophy for ‘Best Moment’ unanimously went to seven-year-old Jack Hoffman for his performance in the Nebraska Spring Game as he raced down the field for a touchdown. It was one of the most heartwarming moments that you will ever witness, in sports or otherwise.
Aside from Nebraska being so kind as to oblige the dreams of this brave young man, they may have also started a trend. And, with all of the negative trends we see in sports these days, this one is quite the relieving sight. Watching high-profile athletic teams give back to their fan base in such a way that it immediately brings a tear to your eye is more than welcome by me.
Recently, the Cleveland Browns were the latest to pick up on this effort. One attendee at their Family Night was five-year-old Ryan Encinas. When Encinas was two years old, he was diagnosed with a tumor on his left lung. Luckily, back on Aug. 2, Encinas celebrated two years of the cancer being in remission. There is every reason on earth for Encinas and his family to celebrate an achievement that trumps anything an athlete can do on a field.
So, fittingly, the best way to celebrate was to show everyone in attendance that he can do exactly what his heroes on the Browns do on a weekly basis; he fulfilled every young boy’s dream of scoring an NFL touchdown.
Taking the ball from QB Brandon Weeden, and with the help of RB Trent Richardson, Encinas raced his way to the end zone, giving himself a moment that no one can every take away from him; just as cancer couldn’t take his life away from him either.
Jack is a Clubhouse Writer for Rant Sports. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackJ14RS.
