Why Did Kirk Herbstreit Not Play In The NFL?

Many people have wondered why former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit never played in the NFL. There are a few reasons why he may have decided not to pursue a professional career in football.

Kirk Herbstreit’s College Career

Kirk Herbstreit is a college football analyst for ESPN. He is also a former college football player. He played quarterback for Ohio State University from 1989 to 1992. He was a backup quarterback for his first two years and then the starter his junior and senior years. He led Ohio State to the Rose Bowl in his senior year. After college, he was not drafted by any NFL team.

Ohio State

Herbstreit’s Ohio State Buckeyes career began with a redshirt in 1989. In 1990, he appeared in four games as a backup quarterback and holder. The next year, he saw action in one game as the Buckeyes finished the season 11-1-1 and won the John Hancock Bowl. As a senior in 1992, Herbstreit was part of an Ohio State team that went undefeated at 13-0, won a share of the national championship, and defeated Michigan for a second consecutive year. That season, Herbstreit was co-captain of the Buckeyes and was voted Big Ten Conference MVP.

National Championships

Kirk Herbstreit’s college career was defined by his team’s success. He was a part of two national championship teams at the University of Ohio State, and while he didn’t see much playing time, he was still a valuable member of the team. After his college career was over, Herbstreit decided to enter the broadcasting world and has been one of the most respected voices in college football ever since. It’s safe to say that his successes on the field led to an even greater success in his post-playing career.

Kirk Herbstreit’s NFL Career

Kirk Herbstreit is a former NFL quarterback who is now a commentator for ESPN. He did not play in the NFL because of his lack of size and arm strength. However, he is one of the most respected commentators in the NFL.

Not Drafted

Kirk Herbstreit was not drafted in the 1992 NFL Draft. He did have a brief tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers during their rookie mini-camp, but was not offered a contract.

Why Didn’t He Play In The NFL?

Kirk Herbstreit is one of the most respected analysts in all of college football, but did you know that he could have had a very different career? That’s right, instead of being in the broadcast booth, Herbstreit could have been playing in the NFL. So, why didn’t he play in the NFL?

Herbstreit was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school and was even offered a scholarship to play quarterback at Notre Dame. He ultimately chose to attend Ohio State University instead, where he played for legendary coach Woody Hayes. Herbstreit was a solid player for the Buckeyes, but he was never going to be more than a backup quarterback in the NFL.

After graduation, Herbstreit decided to pursue a career in broadcasting and he has been with ESPN since 1996. He is now one of the most recognizable faces on college football Saturdays and is considered one of the best analysts in the business.

So, while Kirk Herbstreit never played in the NFL, he has had a hugely successful career in broadcasting. And who knows, if things had gone differently, we might be calling him “Mr. College Football” today instead.

Kirk Herbstreit’s Broadcasting Career

Kirk Herbstreit is one of the most respected college football analysts today. Herbstreit has been with ESPN since 1996, but his broadcasting career started long before then. So, why didn’t Herbstreit play in the NFL? Let’s take a look.

ESPN

Kirk Herbstreit is one of the most recognizable faces in sports broadcasting, but his career in front of the camera almost didn’t happen. A former college football player, Herbstreit was originally planning to pursue a career in coaching. But after attending a broadcast camp and realizing his talents lay in commentary, he decided to switch gears.

Herbstreit began his broadcasting career with ESPN in 1996, and he quickly became a staple of the network’s college football coverage. He currently serves as a studio analyst for College GameDay and as the lead commentator for ABC’s Saturday Night Football telecasts. He also appears on other ESPN shows like Get Up! and SportsCenter.

In addition to his work with ESPN, Herbstreit has also called games for CBS and Fox. He was even tapped to call the College Football Playoff National Championship game for ESPN Radio in 2015. Given his success in broadcasting, it’s no surprise that Herbstreit is one of the highest-paid personalities at ESPN. His contract with the network is reportedly worth $4 million per year.

College GameDay

In 1996, Herbstreit began working for ESPN as a game analyst on `College GameDay`, replacing Lee Corso. Corso had decided to focus on coaching at Ohio State. When Corso was asked about Herbstreit taking his place, he said, “I’m going to give him the same kind of advice that I gave all the other guys who replaced me—don’t screw it up.”

Herbstreit has become well known for his role on College GameDay. He appears on the show each Saturday morning during the college football season with Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, and David Pollack to preview all of the day’s games. He also gives his predictions for the winners of each game. The show often travels to different cities each week and is usually hosted by one of the teams playing in that week’s featured game.

Conclusion

Kirk Herbstreit is one of the most well-known and respected college football analysts currently working. But despite his success in the broadcasting world, some fans can’t help but wonder why he never played in the NFL.

The answer, it turns out, is pretty simple: Herbstreit wasn’t good enough.

In an interview with SI.com in 2016, Herbstreit explained that he had always wanted to play in the NFL but never had the talent to make it happen. “I was a decent high school player and then I went to Ohio State and I was way out of my element,” he said. “I was playing against guys that were way bigger, way faster, way stronger than me.”

Herbstreit added that he quickly realized he wasn’t going to be able to hack it at the Division I level and decided to focus on his broadcasting career instead. And as they say, the rest is history.