Kirk Herbstreit family tree: Meet wife Alison, four sons, dogs, parents and more from Ohio roots

Daniel Mader

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Kirk Herbstreit family tree: Meet wife Alison, four sons, dogs, parents and more from Ohio roots image

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Chances are, when you're catching a football game on TV nowadays, you'll hear some analysis from Kirk Herbstreit.

Herbstreit, a former quarterback at Ohio State, began his broadcasting career as an analyst with ESPN's "College GameDay" in 1996, and he never turned back. He's remained with the well-known college football show in the decades since, also serving as a college football in-game analyst for ESPN and on Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" NFL broadcast.

Given his time on-camera over the last few decades, those closest to Herbstreit have also earned time in the spotlight. From his wife, who he met while playing at Ohio State, to his sons, all four of whom are football players themselves, there's plenty to know about the Herbstreit family.

Here's a breakdown of Kirk Herbstreit's family tree.

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Kirk Herbstreit wife: Allison Butler Herbstreit

Kirk Herbstreit's wife is Alison Butler Herbstreit. The two met while Kirk was playing football at Ohio State, as Alison was a cheerleader for the Buckeyes. According to Ohio State, Alison was a cheerleader for the team in 1993.

Kirk and Alison got married in 1998. In 2011, they moved from Ohio to Nashville, with Kirk telling the Columbus Dispatch at the time that he had been thinking about a the move to Tennessee for years due to criticism from Ohio State fans.

"Nobody loves Ohio State more than me," Kirk said. “But I've got a job to do, and I'm going to continue to be fair and objective. To continue to have to defend myself and my family in regards to my love and devotion to Ohio State is unfair."

In 2021, the two made a part-time return to Ohio as one of their sons was playing football in Cincinnati, while two other sons attended Ohio State.

In 2009, long before he began working for Amazon as an NFL broadcaster, Kirk spoke to the Columbus Monthly about Alison's support.

"My wife is such a blessing,” he said at the time. “She's so understanding of my schedule. As much as we kid about it being my turn with the kids (when I get home), she's really not like that at all. I don't know how she does it. I have no idea."

In January 2025, Kirk revealed that Alison had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. 

"I haven't really talked about this publicly, but Ali, my wife, faced some stuff. It's been a tough year for me behind the scenes. My wife got diagnosed with breast cancer," Kirk said, per Bleacher Report.

The couple has four sons together, as well as three famed golden retrievers. While Kirk and Alison usually keep their relationship private, the broadcaster has posted pictures of his wife and kids often in the past.

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Kirk Herbstreit sons

Herbstreit has four sons, two of whom are twins.

Jake and Tye Herbstreit 

The oldest of the Herbstreit brothers are twins Jake and Tye. Both of the twins initially played college football at Clemson, starting as walk-ons despite growing up as Ohio State fans their whole life. 

“I’ve always loved the Buckeyes, but I just kind of wanted to choose my own path and go out and have a different experience other than up north,” Jake Herbstreit told TigerNet in 2018.

Jake was a safety, and was a two-star prospect out of high school per 247Sports. Tye was a wide receiver and was also a two-star prospect out of high school, per 247Sports.

Tye appeared in a total of 12 games at Clemson from 2019-22 before graduating in 2023. However, Jake left the school in 2021 following his redshirt sophomore season, with USA Today reporting at the time that he would "pursue other opportunities." The season prior in 2020, Jake did not see any game action after appearing in four games in 2019.

As his Instagram bio indicates, Jake Herbstreit wound up following in his father's footsteps by graduated from Ohio State in 2024. 

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Zak Herbstreit

Another of Kirk Herbstreit's sons is Zak Herbstreit, who continued his family's legacy at Ohio State by joining the football team as a walk-on tight end in 2021. Before then, he played football at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., earning all-region honors as a senior.

In June 2023, Zak Herbstreit was hospitalized due to heart issues, although further details are unknown. The then-21-year-old remained in stable condition, and he went on to medically retire from football but remain with the team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including being a member of the Buckeyes' 2025 national championship squad. Herbstreit had a "student coach" role while working with Ohio State's tight ends and scout team.

Zak Herbstreit graduated from Ohio State in 2025, not long after winning a title with the football team.

In August 2025, college sports media outlet On3 announced that Zak had joined the company as a National College Football Analyst who was set to host a show called "Off Script with Zak Herbstreit," which would feature "in-depth conversations with players, coaches, and prominent voices around the game—alongside unique breakdowns of college football’s biggest moments."

“Zak has tremendous natural talent and has grown up immersed in college sports,” On3 Founder and CEO Shannon Terry said of Zak in a statement. “His ability to connect with today’s college stars will bring a fresh and authentic perspective to the On3 network. He’ll be traveling each week to the biggest games across the country, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at everything that makes Saturdays the greatest day in sports.”

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Chase Herbstreit 

Kirk Herbstreit's youngest son is Chase Herbstreit. Like his father, Chase is a quarterback, and he committed to Michigan in 2024. 

Per 247Sports, Chase was a three-star quarterback recruit out of Cincinnati that had also visited a Penn State camp and the Cincinnati Bearcats before committing to Michigan.

Chase Herbstreit joined Michigan as the team's second quarterback of the 2025 cycle behind No. 1 overall prospect Bryce Underwood. Per ESPN, Herbstreit totaled 26 touchdowns in his final high school season and led his St. Xavier high school team to a regional final.

Heading into his freshman 2025 season, Herbstreit was listed as No. 15 on Michigan's roster.

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Kirk Herbstreit dogs

The Herbstreit dogs have also earned some time in the public eye. Here's what to know about the dogs:

Peter, Theo, Mitch and Beau

It's arguable that the Herbstreit family's dogs are just as famous as the people; while Kirk owns four golden retrievers as of August 2025, it's often Peter Herbstreit that has traveled with him to games, rather than the other three: Theor, Mitch and Beau. 

In July 2025, Kirk did a commercial with Purina Pro Plan that featured all four of his goldens, writing that fans "may know Peter from the sidelines."

Theo and Mitch Herbstreit are most often seen on social media, with Kirk posting his pups often. His late dog, Ben, and another golden, Peter, have traveled with Kirk to college football and NFL games in previous seasons. 

Of the four goldens Kirk owns right now, Peter has been the star, appearing on TV broadcasts and even getting airtime while eating grass at a playoff game in January 2025.

In May 2025, Herbstreit posted on Instagram to reveal that his family welcomed a new young golden retriever named Beau.

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What happened to Kirk Herbstreit dog Ben?

While the Herbstreit family has three other dogs, they also lost one of their golden retrievers, Ben, in recent years.

Ben Herbstreit became arguably the most well-known of Kirk's four dogs, as he would regularly appear on TV as he traveled with Kirk to college football and NFL games. Whether it was brief appearances on the broadcast, or going down to the field, fans could often catch Ben Herbstreit alongside Kirk when he was working.

In September 2024, Kirk revealed that Ben had been diagnosed with leukemia a few months prior. Ben was 10 years old at that time, with Kirk writing on X that the dog "had major surgery" but had "an incredible recovery in the last few weeks."

In November of 2024, Kirk then shared that Ben wasn't doing well, writing on social media that the golden retriever had chemo injections, lost use of his back legs and was barely eating.

"Ben is my best friend and companion. I love him with all of my heart. If you’re a spiritual person I’d love for you to pray for my boy," Herbstreit wrote. "He’s currently in an ER hospital overnight and I’m picking him up tomorrow for another round of Vitamin C. Please pray for Ben and hope he pulls out of it."

On Nov. 7, 2024, Kirk shared that after his ongoing health issues, Ben had died at age 10. 

"We found out today the cancer had spread throughout Ben's organs and there was nothing left we could do -- we had to let him go. I’ve had dogs my whole life but Ben was 1 [of] 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," Kirk wrote in his Instagram post. "He was with me more than anyone at home and traveling with me for work. Such an easy going companion. Hard day -- but he will live within all of us forever. God please bless his majestic soul and thank you for putting him in my life for the last 10 year -- a true blessing. Love you Ben."

Kirk also had an emotional moment on "College GameDay" speaking about losing Ben, 

@thesportingnews Kirk Herbstreit’s dog Ben passed this week. College GameDay honored his dog with a special segment on the college football celebrity. #espn #collegefootball #cfb #kirkherbstreit ♬ original sound - The Sporting News

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Why does Kirk Herbstreit travel with a dog?

Herbstreit has certainly made it a habit to travel with a four-legged friend, bring a dog alongside him to work for most games since 2023. Primarily, bringing his companion is for fun and emotional support, but Kirk also said in 2024 that he loved bringing Ben to games for the dog's pleasure as well.

"Some people [have] said, 'He's sick. Why do you take him on the road?' It's because it feeds his soul to be out on the road with people and interacting and meeting people," Herbstreit said, per The Athlete Lifestyle on SI. "His tail is constantly wagging, and he just goes up."

After Ben's death, Kirk also spoke about how he values the love and companionship that bringing his dog along to games brings, whether his golden retriever was interacting with him or others.

“It gives me and my family such comfort knowing how he impacted so many people's lives around the country. He was a beautiful and loving soul," Kirk said of Ben, per Today. "His warm presence became my anchor to home, making my journeys feel less like wandering and more like belonging."

"He made everyone happy, and he did it without even trying. He just wagged that tail or nestled up against strangers like they were family. And that’s what they became."

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Kirk Herbstreit dad: Jim Herbstreit 

Kirk's dad was Jim Herbstreit. It was Jim that began the family legacy at Ohio State, as he was a captain of the Buckeyes' football team in 1960 and played running back, defensive back and special-teams at the school from 1958-60. 

Kirk went on to be a captain at Ohio State in 1992, when he was a senior, making he and Jim the third father-son tandem to ever be captains for the Buckeyes' football program, per ESPN. They joined Jim and Jeff Davidson, along with Pepper and Dionte Johnson. 

After his playing career, Jim Herbstreit became an assistant on the Ohio State's staff. In 1963, he was the top college assistant at Miami under Bo Schembechler, but he reportedly left coaching by 1965.

Jim Herbstreit died in 2016 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease two years prior. Kirk shared a message at the time that expressed how "overwhelmed" he was for all the love he was receiving.

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Kirk Herbstreit mom: Judy Herbstreit 

Kirk Herbstreit's mom is Judy Herbstreit. Per Fox Sports, Judy was born in Texas, was a stay-at-home mom and met Jim in Ohio when her father was working there. After her family moved to Los Angeles, Jim and Judy wrote letters to one another, and when she returned, the couple got married while Jim was still enrolled at Ohio State. 

Also according to the Fox Sports story, Kirk's parents later divorced when he was eight years old then re-married, and he wound up moving often in his youth. 

"The divorce and the remarriages and the moving, through all that, sports was my constant, it became my outlet. Because it’s painful to go through that as a kid," Kirk said in 2011, per Fox Sports. "My parents have pictures of me at four or five years old – and I appreciate this now that I have kids of my own – but there’s nobody else in the picture and I’m sitting on the couch with a blanket.  They told me they’d try to get me to move, but I would just go back and watch college football. All by myself, just me and the game."

Kirk Herbstreit lived in various parts of Ohio throughout his youth, including Centerville, Franklin, Mason, and Wyoming. 

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Kirk Herbstreit sister: Terri Holmes

Kirk Herbstreit's sister is Terri Holmes. In his autobiography "Out of the Pocket: Football, Fatherhood, and College GameDay Saturdays," Kirk wrote about how he and his siblings lived with their mother following their parents' divorce, but Teri took over some parenting roles for her younger brother, per Shelf Life.

Per the Dayton Daily News, Teri raised her kids in Centerville, Ohio, and works for the Washington-Centerville Public Library as of 2024. 

Teri Herbstreit also had a blog named "StreiTalk" that she last updated in 2022.

In May 2025, Teri Herbstreit posted to her X account thanking Kirk and others for a fundraiser at Washington-Centerville Public Library.

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Kirk Herbstreit brother: John Herbstreit

Kirk Herbstreit's other sibling is his brother, John Herbstreit. Not much is known about John, as Kirk has not mentioned him often compared to his sister.

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Where is Kirk Herbstreit from?

Herbstreit is an Ohio native, as he was born in Centerville, Ohio. He moved a few time in his youth, but attended Centerville High School before he committed to Ohio State. 

Daniel Mader

Daniel Mader is a Content Producer for The Sporting News. He joined SN in 2024 as an editorial intern following graduation from Penn State University. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, the Centre Daily Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Daily Collegian and LancasterOnline. Daniel grew up in Lancaster, Penn., with a love for baseball that’ll never fade, but could also talk basketball or football for days.