Kirk Herbstreit has built a legendary career calling football games, but off the field, he's also a proud dad of four boys. And according to the ESPN analyst, there's a rather unconventional story behind how he and his wife, Alison, ended up with an all-male household.
Appearing on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, Herbstreit shared what he calls the "secret" to their 4-for-4 run of sons. It turns out, his wife's athletic background played a key role — and a bit of folk science didn't hurt either.
"My wife was a gymnast," Herbstreit said. "So when we would get done with what we’ve done, she heard that the male sperm were faster, so she would do a handstand, go up on the bed, and we were 4-for-4."
The couple's sons — Jake, Tye, Zak, and Chase — have all grown up around football, with Jake and Tye even playing at Ohio State. It's a fun story that's been making the rounds, and Herbstreit's candid admission has fans chuckling.
But the podcast conversation wasn't all laughs. Herbstreit also opened up about the demanding schedule of juggling three major broadcasting roles — ESPN's College GameDay, Thursday Night Football on Amazon, and his other commitments. With contracts expiring next year, he admitted he's unsure what the future holds.
"I don’t know, just depends," Herbstreit said about possible retirement. "I love what I’m doing. I love doing the NFL on Thursday. I love working with Al, who’s a legend, obviously. The Saturday stuff is unreal. It’s hard to do all three, man. I don’t know. I have one year left on all three jobs this fall. I’ve never been a free agent. 30 years of doing this. I’ve always just kind of re-upped when I had about a year left. I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do. We’ll see. But I’m not close to being done yet."
At 56, Herbstreit has been a fixture in college football broadcasting for three decades. His analysis of the Big Ten's financial edge over the SEC has sparked debate, and his fashion critiques are always good for a chuckle. But his recent comments about his future have left fans wondering if the end is near.
For now, Herbstreit seems content to keep grinding, even if the schedule takes a toll. He's also been in the news for his dog's antics, which have been testing fans' patience. But the handstand story? That's one for the ages.
