The tributes and condolences that filled social media the last two days following the death of college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit’s dog, Ben, took the form of signs Saturday in Baton Rouge.
With ESPN’s “College GameDay” on LSU’s campus ahead of the Tigers’ game against Alabama, fans displayed signs with pictures of and messages for Ben, a golden retriever who died following a battle with cancer.
“Long live Ben Herbstreit,” one sign read.
“Always in our hearts,” another added.
“RIP Ben,” another fan wrote with a heart, while another sign depicted a picture of Ben with a halo above his head.
Ben’s presence became a regular part of Herbstreit’s work with ESPN and Amazon, with NFL teams and college athletic departments making extra credentials and Ben even sneaking onto the LSU-USC broadcast earlier this season.
Herbstreit revealed on Nov. 4 that Ben underwent a second chemotherapy injection on Oct. 23, but Ben’s condition had worsened to the point where he couldn’t use his back legs and hadn’t eaten in three days.
Three days later, Herbstreit announced that Ben had died and posted a tribute to the dog he previously called his best friend.
“We found out today the cancer had spread throughout Bens organs and there was nothing left we could do-we had to let him go,” Herbstreit wrote, in part, in his Nov. 7 post. “I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 on 1. He was smart-loving-gentle-patient-inquisitive-and welcoming to all. Always a big smile and a soft tail wag. He and I could communicate..he and I understood each other and had each others backs. He was with me more than anyone at home and traveling with me for work. Such an easy going companion.”
Herbsreit, also an NFL analyst for Amazon, still called the “Thursday Night Football” game between the Ravens and Bengals, but he wrote on X the next day that it was “very challenging” to call.
During the pregame show, Amazon host Charissa Thompson honored Ben with a short tribute and called him a “huge part of the ‘TNF’ family.”
