Well, we all must be aware of how Kirk Herbstreit created an identity for himself as the ESPN color commentator. But as much as he has gained popularity, his pets too are dearly loved by the fans – at times, even more than Kirk. Last year, he lost his 10-year-old golden retriever, Ben who has been an absolute sweetheart. But lucky man Kirk! The commentator has found another furry friend, Peter to help the Herbstreit family cope with the big void that came with Ben’s demise. After all, Ben had become an internet sensation.
College football fans often used to look forward to the golden retriever and his antics on the field. An absolute good boy, Ben drew massive crowds as he traveled with the GameDay host weekly. From Bloomington to College Station, Ben made the trip ahead of the top-15 matchup between the LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies. Even though Kirk has been an Ohio State loyalist, that did not stop Penn State Nittany Lions from coming up with a heartfelt move. James Franklin’s program made Ben a gift basket that included a bed, treats, toys, and a “Very Important Pup” credential. But November 7, turned out to be an ominous day for Kirk and Ben’s admirers – one of them being GOAT Nick Saban’s daughter, Kristen.
The 10-year-old doggo passed away after battling with cancer. He had been undergoing treatment and lost the use of his hind legs. While Ben holds a large space in Kirk’s heart, the commentator is spotted with his other beloved dog, Peter. The 16-month-old pupper made an appearance at the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. Before the game, while Kirk was getting interviewed, he was joined by Peter. The commentator got hit up with the question, “What has it meant to you and your family the way that the American Public has responded to Ben and Peter?”
Kirk started with how the pain felt unbearable with Ben’s demise. “That’s been overwhelming honestly. I mean it started with Ben, as you know and that was tough that really came on pretty quickly and I just decided I have three other goals.” Ben was the oldest among the four retrievers he had. The ESPN analyst continued, “I decided to bring my youngest here. This is Peter, he’s 16 months and took him out once LSU Alabama in Baton Rouge. I figured if he could make it to that one he can do anything, and he did really well, and I had no plan… He’s a great companion and it’s been great on the backend of what we dealt with Ben.” The fans are crushing hard on the doggo too.
How Kirk Herbstreit’s new furry MVP is winning hearts?
Now, the Columbus Blue Jackets must be caught with some happy feelings. After all, they were able to knock off the Detroit Red Wings for the second time in three days. The interesting matchup, 5-3 did turn heads on March 1, Saturday night. With this came another record. Ohio Stadium was packed with the second-largest outdoor crowd to ever watch an NHL game with 94,751 in attendance. So, you can fathom the amount of attention Kirk’s Peter got.
The way Peter got right up on the glass, is surely going to make you go “Awwww.” The NHL’s official IG page too dedicated a reel posting about Peter from the series. The caption read, “The #StadiumSeries content you didn’t know you needed. Peter Herbstreit, also known as the Director of Snuggles, is enjoying the game!” And then came the fan reactions.
A fan was amazed at the fact that Peter accompanied his master Kirk Herbsreit braving the chilly conditions. “I love that @KirkHerbstreit brings Peter everywhere. Bring him to the frozen four Kirk, he can go between the benches with me!” The fact that he is invested in hockey despite belonging to a football family, did win hearts. As a fan wrote, “Definitely a Hockey Guy!” While Ben’s memory lives on, Peter is wagging his way into fans’ hearts.
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