Kirk Herbstreit‘s grieving the loss of man’s best friend … breaking down over his dog Ben’s death live on-air.
The football commentator appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” Saturday morning … just two days after he announced he and his wife had to put down his golden retriever — who traveled with him to many of his games.
Thank you again for all the outpouring of love for our Ben. I can’t tell you how much it means to me and my family.
He wasn’t just my best friend – he was America’s best friend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WtpR2fHjjq
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 9, 2024
@KirkHerbstreit
During the broadcast, ESPN played a clip all about Ben … with Kirk talking about how he was far more than just a dog or travel companion — and, clearly Ben’s still feeling very raw emotionally ’cause he could barely talk about Ben during the show.
Just before the clip, Kirk’s cohosts thanked him for sharing Ben with them … and the crowd begins to chant out “We love Ben!” rhythmically.
It seems Kirk was supposed to speak a little more about his pup … but, watch the video — he simply wasn’t able to get the words out.
Ben rose to fame over the years … running around the country with Kirk and appearing on multiple national broadcasts. He was often spotted roaming the fields among other players, coaches and Kirk’s colleagues.
Ben was 10.
RIP