Kirk Herbstreit can’t run a day without snacking controversies over breakfast. Be it an Ohio State bias, a lopsided commentary, or an Alabama favor over Florida State, the guy simply holds the mic and gets roasted. He has drawn significant backlash for his comments about Caleb Williams and calling out Ohio State fans to be lunatics as well. Just a few months back, he donned a Michigan jersey as his son Chase got into the school and immediately found himself in the mud. This is a loop: so on and so forth. The latest addition is not a mental theory, but rather a real potential menace.
The reason behind Kirk getting so much heat from the fans is predominantly his no-nonsense, outspoken nature. Despite being known as an emotional chap, the College GameDay mogul is quick to trigger fans to their bone. Even on the other side, the Buckeyes also doubt his loyalty big time. There is a history behind the social media outrage. Kirk has long been taking slight to hard digs at his alma mater, Ohio State. Seems like a UNO reverse, right? Yes, kind of! Remember when he sparked debates among fans, saying he wouldn’t allow his sons to play for a Jim Tressel offense in 2011? Fast forward to 2024, Chase landed in Ann Arbor. Kirk has also used more airtime to accuse Ohio State players of trading things for free tattoos. So Kirk isnt new to putting his name on the line publicly. But now things have taken an odd turn where its a matter of life and death…
As the Nico Iamaleava situation is spreading like a wild bonfire, Kirk chimed in on the matter with, as usual, a different perspective. On3’s Pete Nakos reported Iamaleava was negotiating a fresh contract with the program for bagging a bigger paycheck. Just hours later, the Tennessee Volunteers’ head coach, Josh Heupel, moved on from his quarterback. The former OSU quarterback didn’t take long to give Heupel his flowers for making a bold call, irrespective of the fear of judgment. He lauded the Tennessee head coach for having the guts to let Nico go over an unethical demand. But there was something bigger that caught the attention of netizens at that point…
If Kirk Herbstreit gets in a car accident while FaceTiming into the Pat Mcafee show, is ESPN liable for damages? @espn pic.twitter.com/gVMTGyifE8
— Fintel (@TheFiscalSniper) April 16, 2025
Fans didn’t care about what he was talking about. The fact that Kirk Herbstreit, 55, was shooting for Pat McAfee’s ESPN show while driving on the road got all the attention. The scene got fans in a frenzy over both ESPN and Herbstreit for allowing and indulging in this risky stunt.
Fans called out Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN over an irresponsible act
See, Kirk Herbstreit is not foreign to the act of driving while commentating for the College Game Day in the past. Back in October 2024, when he left the College GameDay set in Oregon to come to Dallas for a game, he was supposed to call, but he shot a segment of the show while on his steering. “Everything is good, we are going really fast right now,” Herbstreit addressed the fans from the Oregon highway on his way to the airport. For some reason, he narrowly escaped backlash that time. But not again. Fans caught him red-handed with this menacing move and blasted out front.
The post Calls Mount Against ESPN As Kirk Herbstreit’s Reckless Driving Act to Accompany Pat McAfee Leaves Fans Concerned appeared first on EssentiallySports.
