“Long live Ben Herbstreit,” read one sign.

“Forever in our hearts,” another added.

“RIP Ben,” another fan wrote with a heart, while another sign showed a photo of Ben with a halo above his head.

Ben’s presence became a regular part of Herbstreit’s work at ESPN and Amazon, with NFL teams and college athletic departments earning additional credentials and Ben even sneaking into the LSU-USC broadcast earlier this season.

Herbstreit revealed on November 4 that Ben had undergone a second chemotherapy injection on October 23, but Ben’s condition had deteriorated so much that he could no longer use his hind legs and had not eaten for three days.

Three days later, Herbstreit announced that Ben had passed away and posted a tribute to the dog he previously called his best friend.

“We found out today that the cancer had spread through Ben’s organs and there was nothing more we could do. We had to let him go,” Herbstreit wrote in part in his Nov. 7 post. “I’ve had dogs all my life, but Ben was 1 to 1. He was smart, loving, gentle, patient, curious and welcoming to everyone. Always a big smile and a gentle wag of the tail. He and I could communicate. He and I understood each other and had each other’s backs. He was home with me more than anyone else and traveled with me for work. Such an easy companion.”

Herbsreit, also an NFL analyst for Amazon, still called the game between the Ravens and Bengals “Thursday Night Football,” but he wrote on X the next day that it was “very challenging” to call.

During the pregame show, Amazon host Charissa Thompson honored Ben with a brief tribute, calling him a “big part of the ‘TNF’ family.”