For years, Kirk Herbstreit and his golden retriever Ben were a package deal for audiences of College GameDay, ABC college football games, and Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football.
On Nov. 7, 2024, Herbstreit announced that Ben had passed away following his battle with cancer, just days after he provided a worrying update about the dog, who had been battling leukemia and lymphoma.
The football world mourned Herbstreit’s loss, but a new golden retriever, Peter, has stepped into that role as a constant companion (and celebrity in his own right), with other goldens in the family being prepped to be next in line as well. That includes Logan, who certainly made his presence felt on a GameDay earlier this year.
On Friday, Herbstreit noted the first anniversary of Ben’s passing with social media posts remembering his buddy.
“It was one year ago today that we had to let Ben go,” wrote Herbstreit on social media. “This was one of his last trips with me last year-a Thursday Night game in Miami. We love you and miss you, Ben!”
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Not everyone has been a fan of Herbstreit’s dog routine, but Ben did find a way to win over the curmudgeonly Al Michaels, so he must have been doing something right.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.