Kirk Herbstreit shared the devastating news Thursday that he had to put down his beloved golden retriever Ben after a battle with cancer.

“This is really hard to write, but so many of you loved and cared about Ben that I wanted to let you know. “We found out today that the cancer had spread to Ben’s organs and there was nothing we could do – we had to let him go,” Herbstreit said on his social media pages.

Earlier this week, the college football and NFL analyst revealed that Ben had undergone chemotherapy but the situation was getting worse, noting that the following 24 to 48 hours would be a crucial period to see whether he could survive.

Herbstreit paid tribute to Ben’s memory on Thursday, calling him “1 (of) 1.”

“I’ve had dogs all my life, but Ben was one of them. He was smart, loving, gentle, patient, curious and hospitable to all,” the former Ohio State quarterback wrote. “Always a big smile and a gentle wag of the tail. He and I were able to communicate. He and I got along and supported each other.”