Kirk Herbstreit has long been a steady voice in the ever-expanding world of football broadcasting - insightful, respected, and refreshingly honest. Whether he’s breaking down a college football Saturday on ESPN or calling Thursday Night Football games alongside Al Michaels on Amazon Prime Video, Herbstreit brings a grounded, no-nonsense approach that resonates with fans. He’s not in the business of throwing out hot takes just to stir the pot - and that’s exactly why his words tend to carry weight.
But sometimes, honesty comes with a price - even for someone as established as Herbstreit.
On a recent episode of his Nonstop with Kirk and Joey podcast, which he co-hosts with former Ohio State standout Joey Galloway, Herbstreit peeled back the curtain on a moment when speaking his mind didn’t exactly earn him applause from the higher-ups. The topic?
Bowl games. Specifically, whether there are just too many of them.
“I feel like I said this at a seminar one time,” Herbstreit recalled. “The back of the room - when you and I sit back there - I’ll raise my hand, pull the button down, pull the mic down, and say, ‘Are we creating too many bowl games?
Bowl games are supposed to be special. They’re supposed to be a reward for a great year.
Do we have to have all these 6-6 teams and like creating these bowl games just because they rate well? I feel like we’re oversaturating the bowl season.’”
That comment didn’t exactly land well with everyone in the room. Herbstreit didn’t go into detail about the reaction, but it’s clear his remarks ruffled a few feathers.
And let’s be honest - he’s not alone in that line of thinking. The college football postseason has ballooned to include 35 non-playoff Division I FBS bowl games this year, in addition to the College Football Playoff matchups.
That means dozens of teams with records hovering around .500 are still suiting up for games with names like the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the ReliaQuest Bowl, and the Citrus Bowl. Some fans love the extra football.
Others - like Herbstreit - wonder if the sheer volume is diluting what bowl season used to represent: a meaningful reward for a great season.
But here’s the thing - in college football, as in most major sports, the bottom line often speaks loudest. Bowl games mean TV ratings.
TV ratings mean advertising revenue. And that means more money in the pockets of conferences, schools, and the NCAA.
Whether it’s a marquee New Year’s Six matchup or a mid-December clash between two 6-6 squads, if it draws viewers, it’s going to stick around.
Still, Herbstreit’s point hits home for a lot of longtime fans. There was a time when making a bowl game felt like a true accomplishment. Now, it can feel more like a participation trophy.
That kind of candid perspective is part of what makes Herbstreit such a compelling figure in today’s football media landscape. He’s not afraid to ask the questions that fans are already thinking - even if it means pushing back against the corporate tide.
Since joining Amazon Prime Video in 2022 to call Thursday Night Football alongside Al Michaels, Herbstreit has continued to earn praise for his work in the booth. While there’s been increasing chatter about whether Michaels might be nearing the end of his legendary career, Herbstreit has remained sharp, engaged, and even brought a touch of levity to the broadcast. One memorable moment came on Christmas Day, when he tried to help Oregon quarterback Bo Nix get over his fear of dogs - a small but humanizing moment that showcased Herbstreit’s easygoing charm.
Looking ahead, Amazon Prime Video will carry one of the six Wild Card games in the upcoming 2025-26 NFL postseason. That game will mark the final Amazon broadcast of the season - and possibly the final call of Michaels’ storied career. If that’s the case, it would cap off a remarkable run for one of the most iconic voices in sports history.
As for Herbstreit, he’s not going anywhere. Whether he’s calling college games on Saturday or NFL matchups on Thursday, his voice remains one of the most trusted in football - not because he says what people want to hear, but because he says what he truly believes. Even if it means making waves in a seminar room full of executives.