Kirk Herbstreit is college football’s most trusted voice—a force behind ESPN’s College GameDay and the lead game analyst for ABC and Prime Video’s NFL coverage.
With five Sports Emmy Awards and a storytelling style as measured as his analysis, he’s become an essential fixture for fans.
Early Life & Education
Kirk Herbstreit was born on August 19, 1969, in Hamilton, Ohio. He played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1989 to 1993.
In his senior season, he served as team co-captain and was named MVP. He earned a business administration degree from Ohio State in 1993, continuing his family’s Buckeye legacy, with his father also having captained the team decades earlier.
Kirk Herbstreit’s Career
Kirk Herbstreit joined ESPN in 1995 as a sideline analyst and quickly rose to prominence. By 1996, he became a lead analyst on College GameDay, a role he’s sustained throughout a career filled with accolades.
He has since called dozens of College Football Playoff and National Championship games, and as of 2022, he began calling Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football.
With five Sports Emmy Awards, three for Outstanding Studio Analyst and two for Outstanding Event Analyst, he stands as ESPN’s most decorated on-air personality. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2023.
Personal Life
Kirk Herbstreit met his wife, Alison (“Ally”), at Ohio State, where she was a cheerleader; they married in 1998 and now share four sons. The family splits time between Nashville and Cincinnati.
In recent years, they’ve faced deeply personal challenges, including Alison’s breast cancer diagnosis, their beloved support dog Ben’s passing, and their son Zak’s heart-related medical retirement. Despite the adversity, Kirk’s candid emotional moments on air have resonated with fans nationwide.
Net Worth
Herbstreit’s estimated net worth is around $12 million, largely through his long-running role at ESPN and his lucrative Amazon contract for NFL coverage. While Celebrity Net Worth aligns with this figure, some reports suggest that combining ESPN and Prime Video earnings may push his annual compensation into higher tiers.
