Inside Kirk Herbstreit's net worth and how the ESPN analyst built his fortune

Inside Kirk Herbstreit's net worth and how the ESPN analyst built his fortune

Kirk Herbstreit's net worth is alleged to be $12 million as of 2025. He is a successful sportscaster, writer, producer, and reality TV personality. Kirk is famous for having served as an analyst for College GameDay, a pre-game show broadcast by ESPN, since 1996.

Kirk looks on at Lincoln Financial Field (L). He attends the 2025 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre (R).
Kirk looks on at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (L). He attends the 2025 ESPY Awards at the Dolby Theatre in CA (R). Photo: Mitchell Leff, Maya Dehlin (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Kirk Herbstreit played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes as a quarterback between 1989 and 1993.
  • He later transitioned into the sports casting industry in 1995, working for the American sports media company ESPN as a college football sideline analyst.
  • Herbstreit's annual salary reportedly increased to $18 million after he signed a contract with Amazon Prime in 2022.

Kirk Herbstreit's profile summary

Full name

Kirk Edward Herbstreit

Gender

Male

Date of birth

19 August 1969

Age

56 years old (as of 2025)

Zodiac sign

Leo

Place of birth

Centerville, Ohio, United States

Current residence

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Nationality

American

Ethnicity

White

Religion

Christianity

Sexuality

Straight

Height in feet

6'3''

Height in centimetres

191

Weight in pounds

185

Weight in kilograms

84

Hair colour

Brown

Eye colour

Brown

Father

James H. Herbstreit

Mother

Judy Herbstreit

Siblings

Two

Marital status

Married

Wife

Alison Herbstreit

Children

Four

Education

Centerville High School, Ohio State University

Profession

Sportscaster, writer, producer, reality TV personality, former college football player

Net worth

$12 million

Instagram

@kirkherbstreit

X (Twitter)

@KirkHerbstreit

Facebook

@KirkHerbstreit

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What is Kirk Herbstreit's net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth and Clutch Points, the American former athlete is reported to have an alleged net worth of $12 million as of 2025. His wealth is primarily attributed to his successful career as a sportscaster, writer, producer, reality TV star, and former college football player.

What is Kirk Herbstreit's salary per year?

According to Yard Barker, Kirk's salary reportedly increased to approximately $18 million per year after he struck a deal with Amazon. This impressive figure reflects his thriving sportscasting career, high-profile brand endorsements, and his sought-after expertise in college football.

Five facts about Kirk Herbstreit.
Five facts about Kirk Herbstreit. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

How much does Kirk Herbstreit make on Prime?

According to Sporting News, Kirk Herbstreit's salary at Amazon Prime is allegedly $10 million yearly.

Kirk Herbstreit's career and sources of income

Kirk does many things for his career. Here is an overview of his career highlights and income sources.

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Kirk's broadcasting career

Kirk Herbstreit play the Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium.
Amazon Thursday Night Football analyst Kirk Herbstreit play the Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Photo: Bob Levey
Source: Getty Images

Kirk commenced his profession in the sports casting industry as a college football sideline analyst at ESPN, an American sports media company, in 1995. Since 1996, the prominent sportscaster has served as an analyst for College GameDay, an ESPN television program covering college football.

Additionally, Herbstreit has worked as a commentator and analyst for ABC Sports' college football coverage since 1996. In the late 2010s, the former college football player joined ESPN's NFL Draft coverage team as one of the key analysts. Kirk has also worked for Amazon Prime Video's Thursday Night Football games as a colour commentator since March 2022.

Writing, reality TV appearances, and productions

The Centerville native is a writer. According to his IMDb profile, Herbstreit's first professional writing assignment was in the 2020 sports broadcast program ESPN College Football. He has since penned other sports broadcast programs, including College GameDay, SportsCenter, ABC's College Football, and Saturday Night Football.

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Kirk Herbstreit at Wheels Up members-only Super Saturday Tailgate event.
Kirk Herbstreit at Wheels Up members-only Super Saturday Tailgate event in Wynwood, Miami. Photo: Robin Marchant
Source: Getty Images

Herbstreit is a reality TV personality. He has featured in several talk shows, including The Dan Patrick Show, Good Morning America, and The Paul Finebaum Show. Besides being a writer and a reality TV star, Kirk is also a producer. His notable production credits include ABC's College Football and Saturday Night Football.

Football career

Herbstreit's football journey began in high school, where he played for Centerville Elks as a quarterback. He then committed to Ohio State University to play football from 1989 to 1993. Kirk was later named the Ohio State Buckeyes co-captain in 1992.

As per Sports Reference, during the same year, Kirk accumulated 1904 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 58.7 per cent. The American producer did not pursue a professional football playing career after he earned a degree in Business Administration in 1993 from Ohio State University.

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Kirk Herbstreit at ESPN College Game Day during a game between Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers.
Kirk Herbstreit at ESPN College Game Day during a game between Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Steve Limentani
Source: Getty Images

Kirk Herbstreit's awards and honours

According to IMDb, Herbstreit has been nominated several times for various awards and honours, and he has also won many accolades. Some of them include:

Year

Award

2O22

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst (Emmy)

2021

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2020

Won the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2018

Won the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2017

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2016

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2015

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Sports Event Analyst (Emmy)

2012

Nominated for the Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst (Emmy)

2011

Won the Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst (Emmy)

2010

Won the Outstanding Sports Personality - Studio Analyst (Emmy)

FAQs

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  1. Who is Kirk Herbstreit? He is an iconic sportscaster, writer, producer, reality TV personality, and former college football player from the United States.
  2. How old is Kirk Herbstreit? The writer is 56 years old as of 2025. He was born on 19 August 1969.
  3. What happened to Herbstreit's wife? Herbstreit's wife, Alison Butler, was diagnosed with cancer of the mammary gland in 2024.
  4. When did Kirk Herbstreit and Alison Butler get married? The couple exchanged marriage vows on 13 June 1998.
  5. Who are Kirk Herbstreit's children? He shares four sons with Alison. They are Jake Herbstreit, Tye, Zak, and Chase.
  6. Are Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit friends? Lee Corso, an American former college football coach and analyst, and Kirk are friends. They served together as analysts on ESPN’s College GameDay from 1996 to 2025.
  7. What is Kirk Herbstreit's deal with Amazon? The American sportscaster joined Amazon in early 2022 as a colour commentator for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video.
  8. What is Kirk Herbstreit's salary from Amazon? The sportscaster reportedly earns $10 million annually from his contract with Amazon Prime alone.
  9. What is Kirk Herbstreit's salary and net worth? His net worth is alleged to be $12 million, while his total salary is reportedly $18 million.

Kirk Herbstreit's net worth reflects his financial success and impact on sports media. Herbstreit's journey illustrates how diversification, discipline, and dedication can lead to sustained financial growth.

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Authors:
Peris Wamangu avatar

Peris Wamangu (Lifestyle writer) Peris Wamangu is a reporter with more than four years of experience as a content writer. Peris joined Yen in 2024. Before that, she worked with Legit's team from 2021 to 2024. Peris graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi in 2019. She enjoys writing about various topics such as fashion, currency, biographies, entertainment and business. In 2023, Peris finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and the Google News Initiative course. Email: wamanguperis@gmail.com