ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was overcome after his alma mater Ohio State won the national championship. On air after the 34-23 win by the Buckeyes over Notre Dame, the 55-year-old broadcaster attributed the need to reach for a tissue to his close ties to the team — but in a guest spot on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday,

ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit felt all the emotions during his postgame debrief with Scott Van Pelt and Chris Fowler after his Ohio State Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff national title.

Kirk Herbstreit was emotional during ESPN's postgame, but insisted, "When I call these games I'm incredibly objective."

Fans are praying for Kirk Herbstreit and his family following some heartbreaking personal news. The ESPN broadcaster attracted rife criticism after Ohio State beat Notre Dame to win the National Championship on Monday night, especially because he could not hold the tears back during the postgame segment on SportsCenter.

Kirk Herbstreit makes a lot of money to call football games. The long-time broadcaster is estimated to make somewhere between $14-18 million per year between his duties calling college football games for ESPN and NFL games on Amazon on Thursday Night Football.

Kirk Herbstreit pulled back the curtains on why he was so emotional after Ohio State’s national championship win over Notre Dame on Monday night.

Herbstreit — a Centerville, Ohio, native — graduated from Ohio State after playing with the Buckeyes from 1989 to 1992.

Kirk Herbstreit addressed his tears that were seen on the ESPN broadcast after Ohio State won the national title, when he revealed his wife, Ally, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

When asked about the Buckeyes’ 34-23 win over Notre Dame, the ESPN analyst, who also quarterbacked Ohio State from 1989-93 and has a son currently on the team, became emotional and wiped away tears during the network’s postgame show at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Buy Ohio State CFP championship books, posters, gear “I only know how I feel at the time,” Herbstreit said Tuesday. “That’s not something you think about or predict. It’s just like a perfect storm for me.