ESPN host says emotional goodbye to family member, a ‘majestic soul’

Kirk Herbstreit, the popular ESPN college football and Amazon Prime NFL analyst, announced Thursday in an emotional social media post that his Golden Retriever, Ben, died after a battle with cancer. Ben, 10, had become a sensation for football fans for all the air time he received over the years.
Herbstreit said that Ben’s cancer had spread throughout his organs.
“I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on 1,” Herbstreit wrote on a post with a photo of him and Ben on what appears to be a golf cart. “He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-inquisitive-and welcoming to all. Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate..he and I understood each other and had each others backs. He was with me more than anyone at home and traveling with me for work. Such an easy going companion.
“Hard day-but he will live within all of us forever. God please bless his majestic soul and thank you for putting him in my life for the last 10 years-a true blessing. Love you Ben.”
Ben and Herbstreit were inseparable. Ben traveled to the various games the analyst worked and often made appearances on air. According to The Athletic, Ben first joined Herbstreit in 2021 on ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
Herbstreit wrote in September that Ben was diagnosed with leukemia in March and subsequently had two masses removed. He had an “incredible recovery,” Herbstreit said. On Nov. 4, he said Ben was “getting worse and worse” after he had a second chemotherapy injection on Oct. 23. Herbstreit said he was in Pennsylvania with a holistic doctor for treatments as a last-ditch effort.