ESPN broadcaster reveals why he was brought to tears on broadcast after Ohio State won national championship

Kirk Herbstreit, the ESPN broadcaster and Ohio State alum, recently opened up about the emotional rollercoaster he has been on after watching his alma mater, the Ohio State Buckeyes, win the College Football Playoff National Championship game. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Herbstreit revealed that his son, Zak Herbstreit, a walk-on tight end for the Buckeyes, had gone through medical complications, including heart failure two years ago. Additionally, Herbstreit shared the heartbreaking news that his wife, Ally, has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It was almost like a perfect storm for me,” Herbstreit told McAfee and his crew about his emotional state during the post-game show celebrating Ohio State’s victory. “My son had heart failure two years ago, and they were talking about a heart replacement for a while. He had to medically retire, and I think the gratitude I have for Ryan Day putting his arms around Zak and keeping him involved.”

Herbstreit continued, “Ally, my wife, faced some stuff. It’s been a tough year for me behind the scenes. My wife got diagnosed with breast cancer, you know (family dog) Ben dies. It was just a lot of emotion, and when you do what we do, you endure. You do your job.”

The Herbstreits met during their time at Ohio State, where Kirk was a standout quarterback and Ally was a cheerleader. They have four sons together, including Zak, who remained with the Buckeyes despite having to medically retire due to his heart condition.

After calling the Buckeyes’ championship victory alongside Chris Fowler, Herbstreit was visibly emotional on the postgame show when Scott Van Pelt turned to him first for his thoughts. Herbstreit did not disclose what he said to McAfee, but he did praise the resiliency of the Ohio State team this season.

“I’m a little emotional. I’m just fired up for these guys,” Herbstreit told Van Pelt during the postgame show. “When I call these games, I’m incredibly objective. You know, I love all these Ohio State teams, but this team, because of what they went through to get to this point, you’re just happy.”

Despite the personal challenges Herbstreit has faced this year, he has continued to work tirelessly throughout the college and NFL seasons, including his role alongside Al Michaels on Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football.” Herbstreit’s emotional reaction to Ohio State’s victory serves as a reminder of the power of sports to bring joy and catharsis during difficult times.