ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was overcome after his alma mater Ohio State won the national championship. On air after the 34-23 win by the Buckeyes over Notre Dame, the 55-year-old broadcaster attributed the need to reach for a tissue to his close ties to the team — but in a guest spot on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday,

Kirk Herbstreit pulled back the curtains on why he was so emotional after Ohio State’s national championship win over Notre Dame on Monday night.

Kirk Herbstreit makes a lot of money to call football games. The long-time broadcaster is estimated to make somewhere between $14-18 million per year between his duties calling college football games for ESPN and NFL games on Amazon on Thursday Night Football.

Kirk Herbstreit wasn’t able to hold back his emotions after Ohio State won the national championship on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the longtime ESPN college football analyst brought to tears while he was live on the air.

Herbstreit — a Centerville, Ohio, native — graduated from Ohio State after playing with the Buckeyes from 1989 to 1992.

Look: ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit reveals why he got emotional on Sports Center following Ohio State football's national championship:

Kirk Herbstreit was emotional following Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame in the national title game, and on Tuesday he revealed he had more than the game on his mind. While appearing on Pat McAfee’s show on ESPN, the popular announcer said that his wife, Alli, has been battling cancer.

Kirk Herbstreit addressed his tears that were seen on the ESPN broadcast after Ohio State won the national title, when he revealed his wife, Ally, was diagnosed with breast cancer.