CNN
—
Kirk Herbstreit couldn’t hold back his emotions after Ohio State won the national championship Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the longtime ESPN college football analyst moved to tears as he was live on air.
A day later, Herbstreit revealed that there were other things going on in his life that hadn’t been widely shared before.
“I haven’t really talked about it publicly, but Alli, my wife, has faced some challenges,” Herbstreit told Pat McAfee on his ESPN show Tuesday. “It’s been a tough year for me behind the scenes.
“My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. You know, (my dog) Ben dies. It was just a lot of emotion. And when you do what we do, you endure. You do your job.
“And I think what happened, I couldn’t predict it, but when (the Buckeyes) won, I was so happy…because of what they faced and everything that happened. happened behind the scenes. It was almost, I don’t know, maybe a release of all this pent up stuff, and it just took over me.
“I’m an emotional guy in general, and when things touch my heart, I’m not good at speaking when that happens.”
Herbstreit played quarterback at Ohio State from 1989 to 1992. After the Buckeyes’ win Monday night in Atlanta, he hugged his son, Zak, an Ohio State tight end.
He called his emotional moment on camera on ESPN “almost like a perfect storm.”
“My son had heart failure two years ago,” Herbstreit told McAfee. “They had been talking about a heart replacement there for a while, and he had to retire for medical reasons.
“And (head coach) Ryan Day – I think the gratitude I have for Ryan Day putting his arms around Zak and keeping him involved, you know, he’s almost like an AG with what he was doing. And Ryan insisted on putting his arms around him, (offensive coordinator) Chip Kelly, all those guys.
“So there was that aspect of looking down and seeing him in his jersey after, you know, potentially facing your heart being replaced by that.”
When ESPN announcer Scott Van Pelt, who was on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, brought in Herbstreit and Chris Fowler, who were in the broadcast booth, during the postgame show Monday, Herbstreit seemed to be trying to keep it together.
“I’m a little emotional. I’m just excited for these guys,” Herbstreit said. “You know, when I announce these matches, I’m incredibly objective. I love all these Ohio State teams. But this team, because of what they’ve been through, to get to this point, you’re just happy. You’re just happy for them.
Herbstreit briefly left the camera and returned with a tissue. He wiped his eyes, clearly trying to keep his composure.
“I talk to these players. I talk to these coaches. I know what they faced after that Michigan game. I know the pain and I know a lot of people were thinking, ‘To hell with this guy,'” Herbstreit said, referring to Day.
“I know what that felt like. It’s a real thing. Having to put that aside…he just handled the situation, took the high road, didn’t say anything, went out and got his team ready to play four games, and they won it. And I think that’s why I’m moved by what these guys faced.
