At present, college football fans are now used to seeing David Pollack on the commentator’s desk, with headphones on and behind a microphone. But it’s the same David, whose college football contributions earned him a Hall of Fame honor. Following Herschel Walker’s footsteps, he became the second Georgia player to earn First Team All-America honors three times. He joined the College Football Hall of Fame as the 15th Bulldog enshrined. But has David’s entire football journey been a bed of roses? Definitely not. September 17, 2006, was a cursed date in the life of the Pollack family. 19 years later, David’s wife, Lindsey Pollack, shared a powerful message on the same day.

Back then, David was playing as a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals. The then 24-year-old star, the first-round pick from Georgia in 2005, has played in 16 games for the Bengals, starting six. But David’s playing career had hit an unexpected pause. He fractured the C-6 vertebra in his neck against the Browns on Sept. 17, after getting into a scary encounter with the Browns running back Reuben Droughns. By then, the couple had been married for two years, so Lindsey had seen what her hubby had gone through. Almost two decades have passed. Now what’s the proud wifey saying, remembering the cursed day? 

On September 17, David’s wife posted an IG story. It featured two pictures, one with David being rushed out of the field, lying on a stretcher. What stood out in the picture? Being tied up to the stretcher bed, David still flashed his two thumb fingers, implying everything is fine. The other photo showed the former linebacker with a neckband. Lindsey wrote, “19 years ago today, our lives were forever changed by one play…”

In January 2007, David underwent surgery to repair the broken vertebra in his neck. Dr. Anthony Guanciale, director of orthopedic spine surgery at University of Cincinnati Hospital, did the surgery in Cincinnati. While it ended his career, he got his lady love by his side. The second picture shows David still wearing medical gear, kissing his wife, Lindsey. A note of gratitude followed it as she wrote, “I’m so thankful for the Lord’s protection over Davey’s life!” 

The last story showed a recent picture of David, looking all fit and fine, holding a microphone and returning to his business. So, the day apparently came off as cursed, but that did not put a stop to a fighter’s life like David. He started broadcasting in 2008, doing studio work for CBS and hosting a sports radio talk show in Atlanta for 790 The Zone. He then cracked a role with ESPN’s College GameDay in 2011. So being a proud wife, Lindsey wrote, “And look where he gets to be now…and he wouldn’t have it any other way!♥️” However, life did not stop being harsh for the Pollack couple. 

David Pollack’s family hit with yet another setback in 2025

David and Lindsey’s marriage has been running for 20 years now. But the duo had known each other even before that. Their love blossomed after Lindsey met David at the University of Georgia. Everything was going fine, as they are now the proud parents of two kids- 16-year-old son Nicholas and 14-year-old daughter Leah. But the year 2025 has been rough for them.   

On March 10, David came up with a heartwrenching post on X. He wrote, “I do not share much of my personal life on social media, but today is gonna be different. 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.”

Lindsey underwent a craniotomy to address brain cancer. As fans grew concerned, the former linebacker gave a further update on his podcast. “Everything went great, man. The number one thing was to get in for her tumor in her brain out, and that was success. We got to get the majority of the mass out, which was really, really good,” said David. 

But it was difficult for him to accept how her wife, whom he dearly calls “Baby Doll,” went weak. After all, David Pollack has found Lindsey in every turn of his life. The power couple officially announced the launch of the Pollack Family Foundation in 2016. It works on the mission of raising awareness against childhood obesity. Having weathered the storm, the Pollacks now prove that no battle is too big with your soulmate by your side.