Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit announces the death of beloved dog Ben

On By Littum

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - SEPTEMBER 28: ESPN sportscaster Kirk Herbstreit and his dog Ben watch before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 28, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Kirk Herbstreit, a football analyst for ESPN and Amazon Prime Video, was often accompanied by his dog Ben when he traveled to football games across the country. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The sports world suffered an unexpected loss this week when football analyst Kirk Herbstreit announced Thursday that his beloved dog Ben has died. Ben, known for accompanying Herbstreit to college football and NFL games across the country, had been with Herbstreit’s family for 10 years.

In a heartfelt post on social media, Herbstreit wrote that Ben, who had been diagnosed with cancer in March, had died after the cancer had spread to his organs.

“There was nothing left for us to do – we had to let him go,” Herbstreit wrote. “I’ve had dogs all my life, but Ben was 1 on 1. He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-curious-and welcoming to everyone … Tough day – but he will live in all of us forever.”

Herbstreit had previously provided updates on Ben’s health before the dog’s death.

The golden retriever began joining Herbstreit on the road in 2021 and made his first appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay” in November of that year. Ben was a common sight at the games Herbstreit attended as an ESPN college football analyst and as an NFL analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football.” Ben was also known to interrupt some of these broadcasts and wave his way to Herbstreit in the announce booth.

Ben was equally loved by the teams he visited, with several teams creating credentials specifically for the golden retriever. This season, Herbstreit shared that the Miami Dolphins had made Ben a credential designating him the “Chief Happiness Officer of Football” and that the Atlanta Falcons had designated him a “wide retriever.”

Harvest Street revealed last fall that Ben had become an official Emotional Support Animal (ESA).

A few hours after his initial post, Herbstreit wrote again, sharing his appreciation for people contacting Ben.

“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing for the last 3 hours with texts and tweets about my boy Ben. I’m truly overwhelmed by how many people he touched,” Herbstreit wrote. “This has been a really hard day and all your touching notes and messages have really hit home. Thank you for taking the time to reach out and share such beautiful words about Ben.”