Career Timeline of Kirk Herbstreit: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Kirk Herbstreit built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Kirk Herbstreit is a prominent American sportscaster and former college football player. He is best known as an analyst for ESPN's College GameDay and provides color commentary for college football games on ESPN/ABC, and NFL games on Prime Video. Recognized for his insightful analysis, Herbstreit has earned five Sports Emmy Awards. He also contributed to the popular NCAA Football video game series by EA Sports as a commentator.
1988: Committed to Ohio State
In 1988, Kirk Herbstreit committed to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes after John Cooper was hired as head coach.
1989: Four-Year Letterman
From 1989, Kirk Herbstreit was a four-year letterman as a quarterback at Ohio State University.
1989: Joined Ohio State Buckeyes
In 1989, Kirk Herbstreit began his football career with the Ohio State Buckeyes as a quarterback.
1992: Named Team Captain
In 1992, Kirk Herbstreit was named co-captain and team MVP for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He passed for 1,904 yards that season.
1993: Finished Playing for Ohio State
In 1993, Kirk Herbstreit concluded his time playing football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
1993: Graduated from Ohio State
In 1993, Kirk Herbstreit graduated from Ohio State with a degree in business administration.
September 1995: Joined ESPN
In September 1995, Kirk Herbstreit joined ESPN as a college football sideline analyst.
2018: Replaced Jon Gruden for NFL Draft Coverage
In 2018, Kirk Herbstreit replaced Jon Gruden for night one of ESPN's NFL Draft coverage after Gruden's departure.
2020: Announced Monday Night Football Game
In 2020, Kirk Herbstreit announced the first game of the Monday Night Football Kickoff Week doubleheader.
2021: Called MNF Doubleheader Game
During the final week of the 2021 season, in 2022, Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler called the first game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader.
March 23, 2022: Joined Thursday Night Football
On March 23, 2022, Kirk Herbstreit was announced as the new color commentator for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video.
2022: Called MNF Doubleheader Game
In 2022, Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler called the first game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader during the final week of the 2021 season.
2024: Returned to NCAA Football
In 2024, the NCAA Football series returned, and Kirk Herbstreit was included as one of the in-game commentators.
