Thank goodness the game ended with an upset in overtime, otherwise most of the conversation today about the AFC Championship Game would center on how CBS bungled halftime.
A concert from country singer Walker Hayes made it impossible for viewers at home to hear the NFL Today crew as they discussed the action from the first half and gave their predictions for the second.
On Monday morning, Boomer Esiason told listeners what it was like to be there in the moment. He and his WFAN morning partner Gregg Giannotti laughed at the situation.
Esiason said that he knew it would be loud. No one on the set knew that there would be a speaker immediately behind them though.
“I didn’t know that until we get Drew in our ear, our producer in our ear saying ‘Alright guys, thirty seconds. Twenty seconds,’” he said. “This is all in hurry up mode.”
As the producer was doing the countdown, Boomer Esiason said that is when an announcement introducing Hayes came on. He instantly knew there was going to be a sound problem. He says the initial blast of sound could have been a real problem for NFL Today host James Brown.
“As JB starts reading the prompter, he almost fell off his seat.”
Esiason noted that a big part of the reason was that no matter how loud the concert was at home, it was considerably louder for him and his colleagues. Not only was there a speaker behind them, but their IFB microphones and ear pieces had the sound blasting in their skulls.
Giannotti said it was hard not to laugh at home, particularly because Esiason was laughing on the set. He said it was clear no one could hear each other because Brown had to pantomime what he was saying so that Phil Simms could give some kind of answer.
“JB was doing sign language to Phil Simms. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” Giannotti said.
Boomer Esiason admitted that he was indeed enjoying the moment. Being the last on the panel to speak gave him the chance to watch each of his four colleagues try desperately to hear what was being said.
He was very complimentary of Brown, who he said did as good of a job as he could holding the broadcast together, saying that “JB doesn’t flinch in the moment.” Keeping the show on script and trusting the teleprompter is a key to what makes him a pro.
