Boomer Esiason

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Esiason's most successful season was in 1988 when he won NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and led the Bengals to an appearance in Super Bowl XXIII, which ended in a close defeat. He also received four Pro Bowl selections and one first-team All-Pro honor. After nine years in Cincinnati, Esiason spent three seasons with the Jets and one season with the Cardinals before returning to the Bengals for his final season in 1997. Since retiring, he has worked as a football analyst for CBS Sports on The NFL Today and Showtime's Inside the NFL and was previously with ABC, HBO, and Westwood One. He also hosts the morning sports radio program Boomer and Gio on WFAN in New York.

In Their Own Story

On December 21, 1986, Boomer Esiason etched his name into Bengals history during a home victory over the New York Jets. In a 52–21 blowout, he threw five touchdown passes, setting a team record for most in a single game. He also completed enough passes to set the franchise's single-season passing yardage mark at 3,959 yards that day. His dominance continued on October 29, 1989, when he tied his own record with five touchdowns in a 56–23 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the team also tied an eight-touchdown game record. Later, on October 7, 1990, Esiason threw for 490 yards against the Los Angeles Rams, setting another single-game passing record in a 34–31 victory.

Reader's Guide

Esiason was born and raised in East Islip, New York. He got the "Boomer" nickname before he was born. His mother Irene, reacting to his constant kicking in the womb, called him "Boomer." Irene died of ovarian cancer when he was six years old. His father Norman, a WWII veteran, raised Esiason and his two sisters. He attended Timber Point Elementary and East Islip High School, graduating in 1979. In high school, he was a three-sport varsity player in football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football at the University of Maryland, setting 17 school records. He completed 461 of 850 passes for 6,169 yards and 42 touchdowns with 27 interceptions. He was a two-time honorable mention All-American in 1982 and 1983. He graduated in December 1983 with a B.A. in Communications. Esiason was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft with the 38th overall pick. He was the first quarterback selected in that draft. He took over as full-time starting quarterback on September 22, 1985. In 1988, he led the Bengals to a 12–4 record and the AFC Central division title. In Super Bowl XXIII, the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance, the Bengals lost 20–16 to the San Francisco 49ers. Esiason was traded to the New York Jets before the 1993 season. He played three seasons for the Jets, then signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in 1996. He returned to the Bengals for his final season in 1997.

Did You Know?

• Esiason's mother gave him the nickname "Boomer" before he was born because of his constant kicking in the womb.
• Maryland was the only college to offer Esiason a scholarship.
• Esiason's backup and roommate at Maryland was future NFL quarterback and head coach Frank Reich.
• In 1996, Esiason threw for 522 yards in a 37–34 overtime victory over the Washington Redskins, the fifth best passing yardage day in NFL history at the time.