Kirk Herbstreit called “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon Prime with a heavy heart. Hours after announcing the death of Ben, his beloved Golden Retriever, Herbstreit was calling the prime-time Ravens vs. Bengals clash.

As much as Saturday’s broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay was a tribute to LSU’s football culture, it was also a celebration of life for Ben Herbstreit, the faithful golden retriever and travel companion of Kirk Herbstreit who’d become a star in his own right for hanging out on set and in the broadcast booth.

Kirk Herbstreit thank his supporters and express gratitude while dealing with the tragic death of his dog, Ben.