Kirk Herbstreit Sparks Another Debate About His Dog Peter By Sharing Video Of Them Playing Fetch In Hotel Hallway

ESPN college football analyst and announcer Kirk Herbsteit sharing a video of himself playing fetch with his dog Peter in a hotel hallway has sparked a debate around the way in which the former Ohio State University quarterback perennially parades around his pet.

If you’ve watched any college football in the last year or so, you likely know that Kirk Herbstreit has a golden retriever. You know that because the 56-year-old brings him everywhere, from pregame shows to the booth.

The extent to which Herbstreit makes a spectacle of his dog — with this hotel hallway fetch session being just the latest example — has led to a debate among both college football fans and dog lovers about whether or not his behavior is acceptable.

Kirk Herbstreit sharing a video of himself playing fetch with his dog in a hotel hallway sparks another debate about the constant proliferation of Peter

Straight to jail. No trial. https://t.co/AgdgvHl1XJ

— Kirk Minihane (@kirkmin) October 16, 2025

So many people love dogs. Me included.
But this is entitled behavior.
Is outside the hotel broken? https://t.co/meujGCBOXb

— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) October 16, 2025

You may think playing fetch in a hotel hallway is outrageous behavior, but keep in mind that Kirk Herbstreit is actually the only person on the planet with a dog https://t.co/M1WEpetooI

— 🤕(sick pants) (@SureThing_Buddy) October 16, 2025

“I love dogs. I love my dogs. I am f—— tired of Kirk Herbstreit and his f—— dog. Find something else to make your personality about,” another viral tweet said.

“People really need to learn how to love their pets in private. The grocery store, restaurants, and this hotel hall way are communal spaces. There is a lack of public etiquette that has spread as we become more and more selfish and isolated as human beings. Kirk is the example of that,” another added.

If you’re one of those, “Kirk Herbsteit bringing his dog everywhere is AWESOME and he should be allowed to do whatever he wants with him” people, then you might want to clock out of this article now, because as Lil Wayne once said, I’m going in.

I have had dogs my whole life. As I write this, I have one laying at my feet after being allowed to sleep in my bed with my wife and I. Dogs are truly one of the greatest things on this planet — bar none.

But Kirk Herbstreit parades around Peter — and his identical previous dog, Ben — as if he’s the only person whose ever had a dog, as if having an adorable golden retriever and loving it madly is unique to him.

Does the concept of Herbstreit having a lovable dog really warrant all the attention it gets, both from Herbstreit himself and ESPN’s various broadcasts pandering to it? Herbsteit sharing love for his pup on his own social media is one thing, but that, combined with his constant apperances on college football Saturdays, just make it all a bit much: We get it, Kirk — you love your dog.

And, with all due respect to Peter and Ben, there’s nothing unique about them that warrant the sort of attention they’ve received — they’re simply… good dogs. Like most dogs! Unlike most dogs — and most human beings — however, Peter is apparently allowed to trot across college football fields, take private flights and run up-and-down hotel hallways without any regard for the other occupants.

Beyond all that, there’s a reason comedians stop telling a certain joke after a while — the bit goes cold, the joke losses its power. Herbstreit would be wise to follow that course in regards to pushing Peter in all of our faces.