Norman Julius “Boomer” Esiason

Norman Julius “Boomer” Esiason is a sports analyst and former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft, where he spent 10 non-consecutive seasons.

In 1988, he led the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers. He was named MVP of the game after passing for four touchdowns and rushing for another. In his post-NFL career, Esiason has appeared on multiple broadcasts for CBS Radio and Westwood One and is currently a commentator for NFL Network. He also co-hosts a weekday afternoon sports radio show with Mike Francesa in New York City on WFAN-AM (660) and WFAN-FM (101.9).

Early Life

Boomer Esiason was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in East Islip on Long Island. His mother, Carol (née Marchese), is a breast cancer survivor. He has a brother, David. Esiason was raised in a devout Roman Catholic family. Esiason attended East Islip High School, where he was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he was an All-League honoree as both a quarterback and defensive back.

College career

Esiason attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and played for the Maryland Terrapins football team from 1981 to 1984 as a quarterback under head coach Bobby Ross. He finished his college career with 710 completions for 9,695 yards (both school records) and 73 touchdowns (tied school record). His 73 touchdowns rank second in school history behind Keith Van Horne’s 75. He was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-Academic team in 1982 and 1983, and the All-ACC team in 1983. In his senior year, he was voted the team’s most valuable player, and in December 1984 was named by The Sporting News as one of college football’s 100 “Superstars.”

Professional career

Esiason was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 288th pick in the 1985 NFL Draft but never played for them. Instead, he signed with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL). Esiason had a strong arm but lacked mobility and his accuracy was erratic. He threw a touchdown pass to Henry Ellard with 36 seconds left to play in the 1984 Sun Bowl, but his last-second Hail Mary pass to Charles Alexander fell incomplete with one second remaining in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. Norman Julius Boomer Esiason Net worth is estimated to be over $20 million.

How many Super Bowls did Norman Julius Boomer Esiason win?

Esiason was the USFL’s leading passer in 1985 and 1986. In 1985, he threw for 4,282 yards and 41 touchdowns (the latter still a league record). In the 1985 playoffs, he threw for 590 yards and nine touchdowns in a two-game total-points series against the Orlando Renegades. He was named the USFL’s Most Valuable Player both years. The Generals won the league championship both years.

Esiason signed with the Bengals prior to the 1986 season but remained in New Jersey until after that year’s USFL season ended. He led Cincinnati to Super Bowl XXIII following the 1988 NFL season, where they were beaten by John Elway and his Denver Broncos, who were led by NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP quarterback, John Elway. Esiason was selected to play in the Pro Bowl after that season.

How many Super Bowls did Boomer Esiason win with the Bengals?

Esiason played for Cincinnati for eight seasons, from 1986 to 1993. He was a second-team All-Pro selection three times (1988, 1990, and 1992), and a first-team All-Pro selection in 1991. He was named to five consecutive Pro Bowls (1990–1994) during his time with the Bengals. In 1993, he threw for over 3,700 yards and led the league with 27 touchdown passes. In 1994, he set a career-high by passing for 4,339 yards, but the Bengals lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Esiason was traded to the New York Jets in 1994. He led the team to back-to-back appearances in the AFC Championship Game in his first two years with New York. In 1997, he threw for 3,466 yards and 23 touchdowns and earned a Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro selection. He also set career highs with 355 completions and 521 attempts that season.