College football is one of the most charged American sports. The atmosphere gets lively and tense, and sometimes the energy skyrockets and threatens to tip over. That’s no place for a kind-looking golden retriever, right? Except Kirk Herbstreit’s beloved canines are exactly the opposite. His travel buddy and dear pet, Peter, is a regular feature and star on ESPN‘s College Gameday, taking over for his departed and iconic brother, Ben. Though the spotlight in college football is always on its most starry players, Peter and Ben are also CFB celebs in their own right. But more than just being a sight for sore eyes, they share a profound bond with Herbstreit, who got them for extremely emotional reasons. Losing Ben was a huge loss for Herbstreit, who shared a heartbreaking fact about his beloved friend’s death.
Ben used to trot beside Kirk when the latter walked down to the field for the program. Fans, players, coaches—you name it, and they fawned over Ben as he cheered everyone up with excitement. And slowly, he became a staple figure on College GameDay. Ben came over as an emotional support friend for Herbstreit when his son Zak was battling a serious heart condition in 2021. From just a furry friend, he became a member of the family. Herbstreit had dogs in the house very early on in his life. He said in a June 1 episode of The Leading Leader Show With Ryan Hawk that his first golden was one his sister gave him in 1985. “I’ve had a golden in my life since that day moving forward,” Herbstreit said.
The transition for Peter to take over Ben was not exactly set in stone beforehand. Herbstreit narrated the tragic events of Ben’s passing too. He died on November 7 and last attended a Texas A&M game, Herbstreit revealed. “He was limping very, very noticeably after that game, like just literally the next day,” the presenter said. Herbstreit did reach out to a holistic doctor, but Ben’s time had come. Heartbreakingly, though, Herbstreit could not be with his cherished golden when he passed. “[The] season doesn’t stop. So that was on a Thursday. I was calling the Bengals at the Ravens when he died,” he revealed. Peter’s debut in college football came soon after, but Herbstreit was not very 100% into the idea.
Herbstreit decided to test things out by taking him to a high school game. Peter passed the test. And then, he arrived at Baton Rouge with Herbstreit in one of the most iconic rivalry games in the sport: LSU vs. Alabama. “I’m talking loudest music you can think of is on the speakers. Balls are flying and bouncing. Players are all over the place. Players are coming over, petting him, full uniform. And he’s just kind of taking it in. He didn’t freak out. He didn’t do anything. He was just kind of like watching, wagging. And I was like, ‘Oh my god, this dude, he’s made for this.’” From then onwards, Peter took over for Ben as the Gameday furry friend, charming everyone who met him. “From that point on, I took him every Thursday. [He] stays in a hotel with me, goes to dinner with me,” Herbstreit added.
In a tribute to Ben, who passed away due to cancer, Kirk Herbstreit said that he first started out as his travel buddy before making his big break as a CFB icon. “Hotel rooms can sometimes feel like islands of solitude and his warm presence became my anchor to home, making my journeys feel less like wandering and more like belonging… This man’s best friend who became America’s best friend,” he added.
Peter arrived on the scene just 2 days after the incident as a mere 13-month-old pup. Maybe it’s something he shares with Ben, being a part of the same litter as his older brother. He’s a natural on screen. Now, he has a job title too: Director of Snuggles. Another Herbstreit canine, too, is weaseling his way into people’s hearts.
Peter can soon have a prodigy, reveals Kirk Herbstreit
Herbstreit’s dogs have a different personality, he revealed in the conversation. The now pack of three, including Peter, Theo, and Mitch, continues with their shenanigans in the family. While Peter now has a side hustle as Gameday’s resident officer of happiness, he has also assumed the role of being the leader of the pack, Herbstreit revealed on X. Turns out, Peter can soon expect to have a backup in the future, hoping to make things easy. That will be his half-brother, Beau, who is only a few months old.
“He’s 15 weeks. Learning every day. He’s a natural alpha. Gonna be interesting as he learns and grows where he fits in with the boys. Peter took over for Ben and assumed the alpha role. Mitch and Theo are more laid back. Peter may have his hands full with Beau when he gets older. They’ll figure it out,” Herbstreit said.
Here’s an example. The presenter shared two adorable videos on Instagram, showing the canines’ activities. One video had Peter and Mitch out and about in the back on squirrel duty. The next video showed Herbstreit panning his phone to Beau, who preferred to watch his half-brothers from afar. “Seconds later, Beau was watching them with a very curious look on his face. “Think I’ll look from here. He’s like a sponge, learning so much every day from his new, older, wiser brothers. Fun to watch. “The older boys teach him way more than I do,” Herbstreit explained the situation further. While Peter may be the director of Snuggles, his VIP status is clear in a picture Herbstreit shared with Nick Saban. Beau is quickly becoming a star. “Omg!!!!! He is gorgeous!!!! Maybe it’s time for two dogs on set!” wrote one excited fan.
Peter briefly sent fans into worry by not making an appearance beside Herbstreit at the NFL draft this April. However, he reassured that the bossman was just chilling at the hotel, something you’ll see the host sharing snaps of readily on social media. Those dogs are beyond family for Kirk Herbstreit. Being surrounded by them almost every day in his life now, and also having dealt with some brutal troubles in life, Herbstreit makes sure to cherish Peter and his band of brothers.
The post Losing Beloved Family Member to Cancer, Kirk Herbstreit Makes Tough Admission on Grief & a New Source of Comfort appeared first on EssentiallySports.