ESPN host Kirk Herbstreit's beloved game day-crashing dog, Ben, has died

AP

ESPN host Kirk Herbstreit announced the death of his dog, Ben — a golden retriever who captured the hearts of football fans in appearances alongside ESPN announcers.

“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 Thursday on X. “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.”

Herbstreit had told fans earlier this year that 10-year-old Ben had been diagnosed with leukemia, requiring chemotherapy treatment and major surgery. In September, Herbstreit said that Ben had had an “incredible recovery” and had been able to resume travel with the College GameDay chief analyst.

But on Monday, Herbstreit told his supporters that Ben, who was a certified emotional support animal, had again fallen ill.

“Ben had a 2nd chemo injection on October 23rd and from that day has been getting worse and worse,” he wrote on X. “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 said at the time that he and Ben were in Pennsylvania seeking treatment from a holistic doctor who was using vitamin C to try to treat the pup.

“I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on 1,” Herbstreit wrote in tribute to Ben. “Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate…he and I understood each other and had each other's 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.”

During his time as an honorary sports analyst, Ben picked up fitting titles ranging from "chief happiness officer of football" to "treat analyst."

On Herbstreit’s social media pages, Ben’s fans paid tribute to the dog and praised Herbstreit for returning to work even through his grief.

“We love you, Kirk,” one person wrote on an Instagram post showing a tail-wagging Ben excitedly walking through a hotel. “This man calls a game the day his dog passes. He loves football, but more importantly, he loved Ben. That dog was truly one of a kind.”