Kirk Herbstreit might be best known for his football insights, smooth delivery, and ESPN’s College GameDay glow-up alongside the GOAT Nick Saban. But for true fans, there’s something else that’s always stood out—his loyal golden retriever, Ben. The 10-year-old doggo wasn’t just a pet; he was a GameDay fixture, often spotted soaking in big-game energy right beside Herbstreit on the sidelines. He had fans in high places too—from Kristen Saban to Pat McAfee—everybody loved Ben. But last November, tragedy struck, and the college football world quietly mourned with Herbstreit when Ben passed away after a hard battle with cancer. Now, a fellow analyst is living that same heartbreak.

Jake Butt, the former NFL tight end turned lead analyst for Big Ten Network, recently lost his Bernese Mountain dog, Whopper, on June 14. Butt poured his heart out in a tribute that deeply resonated with anyone who’s ever loved and lost a pet.

A part of the post read, “Whopper was never the most athletic dog, but he would do little jumps and hops when we’d walk in the door before thrusting his entire bear-like body into our thighs and looking up at us with his innocent, sweet eyes to communicate that he needed a hug. Every single time, to him, felt like the first time. And trust me, if we didn’t have human things to attend to, and could have hugged him forever, he would have hugged us back.”

Herbstreit, still carrying the grief of losing Ben, reshared the post and replied with comforting words that only someone who’s walked that painful road would understand. “Very sorry for your loss Jake-hang in there brother 🙏🏼.”

Back on May 28, Butt had posted about Whopper’s sudden health crisis. “My 4 year old Bernese mountain dog has FCE/spinal stroke. Healthy one second—basically paralyzed the next. Curious if anyone has experience with this condition and what worked/didn’t to get him healthy?” he tweeted. He explained that Whopper had lost full sensation in two legs and partial feeling in another. The raw fear in that post reminded many of what Herbstreit went through with Ben, who also lost the use of his hind legs during cancer treatment.

Ben’s legacy lives on in the hearts of Kirk Herbstreit and college football

Ben’s final public appearance came on October 26, 2024, at Kyle Field during the Texas A&M vs. LSU game. After that, fans started to wonder—where had Ben gone?

Herbstreit eventually opened up, revealing that Ben had been fighting cancer and was scheduled for more Vitamin C treatments that could “flush the toxins from his body and give him a chance.” But even then, Ben had already lost control of his back legs. The signs were grim.

Herbstreit later admitted just how hard it had hit him. “One of the hardest things I’ve gone through in my life. I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on 1.” Ben was more than a dog. He was family, a work buddy, and a college football mascot in his own right. He’d travel with Herbstreit, cuddle at home, and melt hearts wherever he went.

Alabama coach Nick Saban’s daughter, Kristen, once called Ben her “lucky charm” after Alabama’s 41-34 win over Georgia, posting a photo captioned, “Will never get over snuggling with floofy Ben.”

NBC icon Al Michaels, not exactly known as an animal guy, even fell for Ben. “You know what? I’m not an animal person. Kirk brought him last year, and all of a sudden, I found myself in love with that dog. He’s a golden retriever. He’s beautifully behaved. Kirk is able to bring him around, and he doesn’t even have him on a leash.” That’s the kind of quiet magic Ben had.

These days, Herbstreit finds some comfort in his other dogs—Peter, Beau, Theo, and Mitch. Earlier this month, he even gave fans a peek into his lighter side with a post that read: “Shooting our @HomeDepot commercials next few days! Coach and Peter getting reacquainted! 🤣” But no matter how many new memories he makes, Ben’s paw prints are etched in his heart forever.