Monday night was an emotional one for ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
Herbstreit is supposed to be an unbiased commentator, but the Ohio State program has a special place in his heart. It’s not just because he played there either; Herbstreit’s son Zak is a senior walk-on tight end for the Buckeyes. Last night, Zak and his teammates won the national championship, beating Notre Dame 34-23 in Atlanta.
After the game, Herbstreit couldn’t help but get choked up on the air when discussing the OSU win.
“Don’t start with me, man. I’m a little emotional right now. I’m fired up for these guys,’ Herbstreit said. “When I call these games I’m incredibly objective. I love all of these Ohio State teams, but this team because of what they went through to get to this point, you’re just happy, you know?”
Once his broadcasting duties were done, Herbstreit went down to the bowels of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where he and his son shared a meaningful embrace outside the Ohio State locker room.
Someone captured a photo of the moment, which Herbstreit shared on his Instagram page late last night.
“Love you Zak! Congratulations @ohiostatefb-what a special night!” Herbstreit captioned the post.
Herbstreit’s announcing duties come first, and he’s taken his share of heat from Buckeye fans recently for, among other things, criticizing the “lunatic fringe” of the fanbase for its treatment of Ryan Day and allowing his youngest son to commit to Michigan.
Even so, Herbstreit made it clear before the game he was pulling for his alma mater against the Fighting Irish.
“I’m an Ohio State junkie. And so when they do well, and I’m able to enjoy it, there’s nobody more thrilled than me,” Herbstreit said. “So yeah, I’ll be locked in, and if that scarlet gray confetti comes down, I’m gonna be trying to race to get to the field to hug my son and be a part of that celebration if they’re lucky enough to win.”
Mission accomplished.
Related: Kirk Herbstreit Announces Decision On His Ohio State Fandom