Kirk Herbstreit and his now-wife, Alison Butler, first met at Ohio State University in the early 1990s when he was a quarterback for the Buckeyes football team, and she was a cheerleader for the university.
Before transitioning into broadcasting, Kirk played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1989 to 1993.
Herbstreit is best known for his work with ESPN, where he serves as an analyst for College GameDay and provides color commentary for college football games on ESPN and ABC.
He has won multiple Sports Emmy Awards for his work and is known for his passionate and knowledgeable commentary.
However, he announced his retirement from ESPN’s College Football Playoff (CFP) Rankings Show.
During the broadcast of the Alabama vs. LSU game on November 10, 2024, he revealed that he would no longer be part of the show.
Despite this change, he continues to be a prominent figure in college football coverage.
Kirk Herbstreit and His Wife Are Proud Parents of Four Sons, Along With Their Cherished Fur Babies!
Kirk Herbstreit’s wife is Alison Herbstreit, a businesswoman and philanthropist.
Alison and Kirk met during their college years at Ohio State University. At that time, Alison was a cheerleader, and Kirk played football as the quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The pair started dating during their time at Ohio State and got married in 1998. The couple has four sons: Jake, Tye, Zak, and Chase.
Tye and Jake are identical twins who played high school football at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.
Tye went on to play as a walk-on wide receiver for the Clemson Tigers. On the other hand, Jake initially joined him at Clemson but later transferred to Ohio State to focus on academics.
Likewise, Zak also played high school football at Montgomery Bell Academy and joined the Ohio State Buckeyes as a preferred walk-on in 2021, playing as a tight end.
The youngest one, Chase, is currently a quarterback at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is projected to be one of the top prospects in the class of 2025.
Moreover, the couple are also dog parents of four golden retrievers, Ben, Peter, Mich, and another whose name is not revealed. Tragically, one of their pet dogs, named Ben, passed away due to leukemia in November 2024.
Even then-President Joe Biden sent a heartfelt letter to Kirk and expressed his condolences for Ben.
As evident from Kirk’s Official Instagram, we can see many posts of his dogs, showing his heartfelt connection with the pet.
They have been happily married for over two decades and are known to support each other.
Their relationship is strong and loving, with Kirk often expressing his admiration for Alison’s understanding and support.
Kirk once expressed deep appreciation for his wife in an interview with Columbus Monthly magazine, stating:
My wife is such a blessing, 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.
When it comes to her personal life, Alison was born on January 15, 1973, to parents Douglas and Lousia Pike.
She is involved in philanthropy and founded Jill’s Wish, an organization that supports cancer patients by alleviating financial burdens during treatment.
Despite Kirk’s high-profile career as a sports commentator, Alison prefers to keep a low media presence and focus on her family.
Additionally, she is not active on social media and prefers to keeps low profile.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Kirk’s father is Jim Herbstreit, a co-captain of the 1960 Ohio State team, who later served as an assistant coach.
- He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2023, recognizing his contributions to college football.
- He participates in charitable activities like Buckeye Cruise for Cancer and The Make-A-Wish Foundation Ultimate Sports Auction.