President Biden Pens Heartfelt Letter To Kirk Herbstreit After Ben's Death

The tragic news of the passing of Kirk Herbstreit's beloved dog, Ben, made its way to the Oval Office ... with President Joe Biden sending his condolences in an emotional letter to the football announcer and his family following the loss.

"Ben brought so much comfort and unconditional love to millions of Americans across our nation," POTUS wrote in the note. "In your most joyful moments and most grief-stricken days, he was there, sensitive to every unspoken feeling and emotion."

"I know what it is like to lose a beloved pet, and I hope you can find some comfort in cherishing the beautiful memories you shared with Ben. He was a good boy."

The former Ohio State quarterback said he was honored to receive the letter from No. 46 -- as it's not every day someone gets to hear from the folks at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Ben was a favorite in the college football world ... with the pooch roaming the sets of ESPN's "College Gameday" -- as well as countless stadiums all over the country.

The Herbstreit family was forced to put Ben down after his cancer spread to his organs ... a loss that was crushing for the TV personality -- but he didn't miss a day of work.

"God please bless his majestic soul and thank you for putting him in my life for the last 10 years -- a true blessing," Herbstreit wrote at the time.