Earlier this month, ESPN college football commentator Kirk Herbstreit made it clear that he would not tolerate any criticism of his beloved golden retriever, Ben.

The dog appeared in the announcer’s booth during pre-game coverage of the LSU-USC game on Sept. 1. And some viewers expressed displeasure at Ben standing between Herbstreit and his ESPN broadcast partner, Rece Davis.

The former Ohio State quarterback, who also appears as a commentator on Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts, dismissed the negative comments about Ben.

But as Herbstreit and Al Michaels open the second week of the NFL, Ben seems to have won over the legendary live commentator.

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ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit walks his dog Ben before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium in Houston on Jan. 8, 2024. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports)

Although Michaels admits that he is not a big dog fan, the Golden Retriever seems to have won the heart of the “Miracle on Ice” broadcaster.

ESPN STAR KIRK HERBSTREIT FIRES BACK AT HIS DOG CRITICS: “YOU ARE AN IDIOT”

Michaels recently told Sports Illustrated that he has grown fond of the 10-year-old dog.

“You know what? I’m not an animal lover,” Michaels said. “Kirk brought him home last year and suddenly I fell in love with this dog. He’s a golden retriever. He’s wonderfully behaved. Kirk can walk him around and he doesn’t even have him on a leash.”

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit walks his dog Ben before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium in Houston on Jan. 8, 2024. (Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports)

He then recalled a time when he was at a hotel with Herbstreit and Ben. Michaels, who is also known for his aversion to vegetables, joked that he would rather “have a pet before” he eats vegetables.

“I find him hilarious. One time Kirk and I were in a hotel. We came out of an elevator and the dog walked with us. And the dog led us around about four corners. The path to Kirk’s room looked like a Grand Prix course and he knew exactly where it was. The dog is smart.

Kirk Herbstreit and Al Michaels in the Amazon Prime TNF broadcast booth before a game between the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 9, 2023 in Chicago. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

“I have never had a pet or a vegetable in my life, but I would rather have a pet than a vegetable.”

In August, Herbstreit announced that Ben had been suffering from leukemia.

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“Ben is always ready. We had a tough offseason. I haven’t told anyone yet. He was diagnosed with leukemia and recently had surgery to remove some tumors,” Herbstreit said at the time on “The Brett Boone Podcast.”

“They had to cut him open and remove his spleen, which had a mass in it, and then a mass in his intestine, which is quite a major procedure when you’re 10 years old.

“I didn’t know if we were going to lose him or what. For the first three or four days he wasn’t responding well; he wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t go to the bathroom. That was probably only 2 ½ weeks ago, and slowly he’s coming out of that state and going for walks, eating and wagging his tail and starting to get his personality back.”

Herbstreit and Michaels commentate on today’s NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills.

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