Boomer Esiason has signed a multi-year contract extension with Audacy that will keep him in morning drive on WFAN. Esiason, who joined the station in 2007, co-hosted alongside Craig Carton in 2017 and has been working with Gregg Giannotti in the daypart since 2018. With this new deal, Esiason will surpass 20 years as a morning drive host at WFAN, which will make him the longest-tenured host in the daypart in the history of the station, moving past Don Imus. The Boomer & Gio morning show is also aired on television nationwide through the CBS Sports Network.
“Boomer has become a true cornerstone in the long, storied history of WFAN,” Chris Oliviero, Audacy New York market president, said in a statement. “He was already the highest-rated morning show in the FAN record books, and now, with this new extension, he will add longest-running to his accolades. And most excitedly, we are certain the best is still yet to come as Boomer begins this new chapter in his career by making a long-term commitment to the FAN, along with a creative vision for elevating the brand together to new heights.”
In addition to his role at WFAN, Esiason anchors the “Audacy Sports Minute” heard across the company’s sports stations and Infinity Sports Network. Additionally, he is the co-host of Kick-Off with Boomer & Valenti, a nationally syndicated NFL preview show.
“For the last 17 years, it has been an honor to be the voice that New York sports fans wake up to,” Esiason said in a statement. “I could not be more excited to continue delivering four hours of entertaining conversation at the most vibrant and storied sports radio station in the country, working alongside the morning crew. I would like to thank Audacy, Chris Oliviero, and most importantly, our passionate listeners for the opportunity to continue on this incredible ride.”
Concurrent with his contract extension at Audacy, Esiason announced that he will not return to CBS Sports’ The NFL Today. Esiason had been a member of the studio show since 2002 where he most recently worked alongside host James Brown and analysts Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson and J.J. Watt. This past February, he was in Las Vegas, Nev. for Super Bowl LVIII where WFAN and CBS Sports Network presented the morning drive program and he also was part of Super Bowl LVIII coverage on CBS.
“More their decision than maybe mine, but I really thought that the Super Bowl was my swan song, and I thought the way that CBS handled especially us guys out there in Las Vegas – it was amazing,” Esiason said. “I had been there for 22 years. The guy who hired me back in 2001 was a guy by the name of Sean McManus who was the CBS Sports chairman. He shook my hand [and] he said, ‘I’d love for you to be a part of The NFL Today.’ I never thought in my wildest dreams that would’ve lasted for 22 years.”
Before Esiason began working in sports media, he was an NFL quarterback who played 14 seasons in the NFL, starting his career with the Cincinnati Bengals after he was selected with the 38th overall pick of the 1984 NFL Draft. Along with making the Pro Bowl four times and winning the 1988 AP Most Valuable Player distinction, Esiason was honored as the recipient of the 1995 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Following nine seasons with the Bengals, which included an appearance in Super Bowl XXII, he was traded to the New York Jets where he quickly gained ground on the team’s all-time passing yards list. After a brief stint with the Arizona Cardinals, Esiason returned to Cincinnati to end his career and was inducted into the team’s “Ring of Honor” last season.
In 1993, Esiason founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation to help fight cystic fibrosis, providing financial assistance and cultivating awareness about the genetic disorder. During the week of May 4, the foundation will engage in its Breathe Week, which combines its Run to Breathe and Bike 2 Breathe events into a virtual experience. By completing an athletic achievement during the seven-day span and sharing it on social media, participants can help Team Boomer and the Boomer Esiason Foundation #FightCFAnywhere. All participants receive an official Breathe Week shirt with their registration, which can be for an individual or to join and/or start a team.
