NFL television analysts have become an easy target for viewers and media members alike, with Tony Romo, Greg Olsen, Cris Collinsworth, and Tony Dungy all receiving praise and criticism over the NFL Playoffs. However, WFAN morning host Boomer Esiason tried to defend them Monday morning.
During a discussion about the NFC Championship Game, Gregg Giannotti had mentioned that FOX Sports analyst Greg Olsen — who Gio has said will be heavily criticized after the Super Bowl — got a play very wrong Sunday.
“Greg Olsen messed that up,” Giannotti said. “He’s sitting there going ‘ DeVonta Smith’s running to the line saying hurry up, but he’s clearly in bounds so they’ve got nothing to worry about’. They end up running the play and they come back from break, actually, and end up showing that the ball had hit the ground.”
Esiason then took up for analysts, saying it’s more difficult than people think.
“I will just say, in defense of the guys on TV, there’s a million things going on and you can’t see everything,” Esiason said. “When plays are being run quickly, you don’t have a lot of time to be looking at your replays until they go away or go to break, and then you have time to look at it. And then you can actually discuss it. Kevin (Burkhardt) and Greg (Olsen) do a great job. I actually have come to like both of them, but they just didn’t have a chance to get to it.”
Boomer Esiason worked as an NFL television analyst for Monday Night Football for two years, calling Super Bowl XXXIV for ABC. He then shifted to an analyst role with Westwood One, where he continued calling Monday Night Football, and announced every Super Bowl for the radio network from Super Bowl XXXV through Super Bowl LII in 2018. His work in 19 consecutive Super Bowls is a broadcast record.
