Fans Pay Tributes To Kirk Herbstreit’s Legendary Dog, Ben, After Sad News

Remembering Ben: Kirk Herbstreit’s loyal companion who won over College Football fans

he college football community was shaken on Thursday as Kirk Herbstreit, the voice of ESPN’s College GameDay and top college football analyst, announced the heartbreaking loss of his beloved Golden Retriever, Ben.

At just 10 years old, Ben had become a beloved figure among college football fans, traveling across the country with Herbstreit for years and forming a special connection with fans and players alike.

Herbstreit shared the sad news in an emotional post on social media, revealing that Ben’s battle with cancer had come to an end.

“This is really hard to write but so many of you have loved and cared about Ben that I wanted to let you know,” Herbstreit wrote.

“We found out today the cancer had spread throughout Ben’s organs and there was nothing left we could do—we had to let him go.”

The announcement comes after Herbstreit had been candid in recent weeks about Ben’s declining health.

Ben had been undergoing cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, and had been notably absent from some of Herbstreit’s travels.

In a post from October 23, Herbstreit shared that after a second chemotherapy session, Ben’s condition worsened.

“He has lost use of his back legs—almost like they’re paralyzed. He can barely walk. He hasn’t eaten in 3 days,” Herbstreit wrote.

Even in a sport where minor moments can become significant, Kirk Herbstreit’s dog Ben stood out.

The golden retriever and certified emotional support animal became a familiar presence on ESPN college football broadcasts over the past two years, traveling with Herbstreit across the country. He would join Herbstreit on the field during warm-ups, where players and fans enjoyed interacting with him. Few non-mascot dogs have garnered as much affection in the sport.

On Thursday, Herbstreit announced the tragic news that Ben had passed away at the age of 10, which was met with widespread grief in the college football community.