On Memorial Day, the country pauses to remember its fallen soldiers. They were more than just service members. These heroes were someone’s family, their entire world. Kirk Herbstreit paid tribute to them not just as a citizen, but as a father.

“I have 4 four boys, 25-25-23-19. Today I’m thinking about the young men and women their age who gave everything for this country. Puts it all in perspective. Grateful,” Herbstreit wrote in his May 25 X post.

Herbstreit's older sons, Jake and Tye, are twins born in 2000. Zak, born in 2002, played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, and Chase committed to the Michigan Wolverines. He was born in 2006 and is the youngest of the lot.

Herbstreit is one of the most recognized voices in college football. He has served as an analyst on College GameDay since 1996 and covered countless games and pivotal moments in his career.

However, Herbstreit's favorite matchup on the football calendar is the one between two prestigious teams.

“Not sure there is a game I personally look forward to more EVERY year than Army and Navy,” he said in December 2025.

The Army West Point Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen, dubbed as “America’s Game,” are one of the oldest football rivalries in the country. It began in 1890 when Cadet Dennis Michie accepted a football game, proposed by a group of Midshipmen, between the Navy and the newly formed West Point team. 

On November 29, 1890, in Plain, the experienced Navy team defeated the Army team. Only for the Army team to win 32-16 next year, resulting in an ongoing, legendary rivalry and many colorful traditions. 

Both teams play to win the Patriots Games Trophy in the two-day competition. However, after the whistle is blown, signaling the game’s end, both teams shake hands and become a part of something bigger. They become America’s Team. 

Herbstreit has had the honor of covering these converted match-ups. However, last year, he was under fire for a statement he made on them.

Kirk Herbstreit Was Under Fire Over His Statement On Weekend Football 

Last year in December, Kirk Herbstreit was called out for a statement he made in a now-deleted X post.

“Saturday, not having college football threw us for a loop,” he said in a clip, shared on X, from his podcast called Nonstop. 

He faced major backlash from football fans, who thought Herbstreit’s post was dismissive of the Army-Navy game. Traditionally, their game has been a stand-alone weekend.

“After the Navy Midshipmen beat the Army Black Knights, 17-16, in a thriller, Navy replied to Herbstreit's now-deleted post,” Athlon Sports reported on December 17, 2025.

On December 16, Navy replied with a photo of Eli Heidenreich in his No.22 jersey, holding the football up his arm. They had defeated Army 17-16 in the 126th Army-Navy Game, played on December 13, 2025.

Herbstreit then apologized in an open letter. 

“The video was posted with a caption that was very misleading…That’s on me, and I apologize for any unintentional disrespect toward the teams that played last weekend, especially Army and Navy.”

The Army-Navy football games are beloved and widely watched. Share your favorite game or moment from these match-ups with us in the comments. 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar