Kirk Herbstreit’s golden retriever, who became beloved by sports fans for his stunning appearances on college football fields and NFL games in recent years, died Thursday at the age of 10.
Penn was diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma in March, and Herbstreit — an ESPN college football analyst and Amazon Prime NFL analyst — said Thursday that the cancer had spread throughout Penn’s organs.
“I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1(of) 1,” Herbstreit wrote on X. “He was smart, loving, kind, patient, curious and welcoming to everyone. Always a big smile and a soft tail.
This is so hard to write but so many of you loved and cared about Ben so much that I wanted to let you know. Today we found out that the cancer had spread throughout Ben’s organs and there was nothing left we could do – we had to let him go. I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 in… pic.twitter.com/jDvPTbNv2M
– Kirk Herbstreit (@kirkherbstreit) November 7, 2024
Penn first joined Herbstreit on the set of ESPN’s “College GameDay” in November 2021, when the show traveled to the University of Cincinnati for the Bearcats’ game against Tulsa. The Herbstreits live in Cincinnati, so Ben made the trip to the local Nippert Stadium that day. He had taken his first business trip shortly before that in October, when Herbstreit took him to Seattle. Herbstreit told The Athletic in December 2023 that his family was going through a difficult time then, including the hospitalization of his 20-year-old son Zach with a heart condition, and Ben provided comfort to Herbstreit while away from his family.
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“We are happily adapting to our life around Ben and everything he needs,” Herbstreit told The Athletic. “Reporting to Ben, that’s kind of how it works. Everyone else reports to my wife and I, and we report to Ben.
It was Ben Numerous NFL and college football credentials Made his name ever since. This season, the Atlanta Falcons named Ben the “Wide Retriever” in their Week 5 Thursday Night Football game, while the Miami Dolphins named him their “CEO of Football Happiness” in Week 2. Penn State described it as “dealing with the analyst” before last Saturday’s “GameDay” pre-Penn State-Ohio State show.
Ben underwent surgery in late July to remove two cancerous masses in his spleen, intestine, and herbstreit He said on X In September. Herbstreit said Ben made an amazing recovery in the weeks that followed, and that he was “so grateful that (Ben) felt better and was able to travel with me.”
Kirk Herbstreit pets Ben before the Ole Miss-Georgia game on November 11, 2023. (Photo: Jeffrey Feist/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Honestly, I think getting out and seeing people on the road really helps his spirit and gives him something to look forward to,” Herbstreit said on Channel X at the time. “We will monitor him closely and act accordingly. He has had a great Week 1. Taking it one week at a time.
In one of the first games of the 2024 college football season, Ben helped out on ESPN’s pregame broadcast of the LSU-USC game in Las Vegas. At the cabin, Ben wanders between Herbstreit and his analysis partner Rhys Davies – his tail can be seen in the frame, wagging – waiting to pet the two.
.@kirkherbstreetBen’s dog, Ben, made his way to the LSU-USC pregame show 🐶😂 pic.twitter.com/BetPuCpvcl
– ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 1, 2024
On October 23, Ben underwent a second chemical injection but then became weaker and lost the use of his back legs, Herbstreit wrote on X on Monday. Herbstreit took Ben to a holistic doctor, where he was given intravenous vitamin C for three days, he said.
“I am so grateful for all the love that so many have shown him over the past two years. One of the hardest things I have ever gone through in my life,” Herbstreit wrote. “Ben is my best friend and companion. “I love him with all my heart.”
(Photo: Andy Altenberger/Ikon Sportswire via Getty Images)
