NFL Legend Sends Prayers for Kirk Herbstreit, After Cancer Diagnosis in ESPN’s Broadcaster’s Family

The Ohio Buckeyes won their 9th national championship and ended a decade-long wait for the same. What a big day it was for not just current Ohio State players but also the former players. And you know, who was the most happy former Ohio State player on the championship night? The four-time Sports Emmy Award winner Kirk Herbstreit. Herbstreit was happy—at least on the surface—but his joy was merely a fleeting distraction, a single ladle drawn from the deep well of sorrow that defined his tragic story. What’s the tragic story? The college football announcer has shared it on the Pat McAfee Show.

When Kirk Herbstreit was at the Pat McAfee Show after Ohio State’s win, he shared the tragic news. Kirk revealed that his wife, Alli, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. No college football fans or NFL fans had an idea about what Herbstreit was going through as everybody sees him regularly calling games with so much attention to detail and without even a mistake. 

So, after learning about the announcer’s wife, former NFL star Antonio Brown shared his best wishes. He wrote on X, “Kirk is a real good guy. Always been genuine. Prayers for him & his family.” One fan commented on Brown’s post, “Jesus this awful. Poor guy, prayers up for Kirk 🙏” Another female fan shared her love for the announcer, saying, “Love you man !!! Always doing the classiest things. That’s why you are my HERO.”

Kirk and Alli hitched up in June 1998. Talking about her cancer, Herbstreit said, “Not something you think about or predict. It’s just like a perfect storm for me.” The 55-year-old announcer shares four children with Ali and all of them are boys. 

Kirk has shared more feelings and thoughts on the Pat McAfee Show where he appeared recently. Let’s dive in.

Kirk Herbstreit’s wife struggling with breast cancer

The 55-year-old ESPN analyst couldn’t hold back tears when he was talking about Alli. While sharing this on the Pat McAfee Show, Kirk Herbstreit said, “I haven’t really talked about this publicly, but Alli, my wife, faced some stuff.” Fans are now left wondering why he didn’t share this earlier. However, the moment he revealed the tragic news, the entire football world rallied around him in support.

Herbstreit continued, “It’s been a tough year for me behind the scenes. My wife got 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.” Sometimes, we’re compelled to question whether God truly shows mercy. What a bitter experience Herbstreit had to endure in his life! And how can we say that about Kirk? The college football announcer added about a shocking past. “My son had heart failure two years ago.” His son, Ryan, used to play college football, but he was forcefully retired due to a heart issue.

The announcer got emotional after his state college team won the championship. The last time they won the trophy was in 2014. In these 10 years, a lot has happened in Kirk Herbstreit’s life. We hope Herbstreit’s wife will fight the cancer and come back triumphant. But one thing is clear: The Buckeyes’ win has given him some happy feelings amid a tragic time period.