Boomer Esiason has announced that he will not be returning to CBS for The NFL Today in the fall, ending his 22-year run on the pregame show. However, he has extended his contract for the morning slot on his WFAN radio show which he inherited with Craig Carton in 2007. He will also continue with the CBS Sports Network simulcast. Esiason mentioned that the decision was more on CBS’s end than his own and sees the upcoming Super Bowl in Las Vegas as his “swan song”.
With Esiason’s departure, The NFL Today is facing a reworked lineup. Host James Brown will be staying, but everyone else’s contracts were up, including Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, and Nate Burleson. J.J. Watt is under contract but appeared on a part-time basis in 2023. More announcements are expected soon, especially with the annual upfronts with advertisers approaching in two weeks. This is usually when most lineups for the upcoming season are finalized.
The NFL Today has been a staple since the ’70s and was once considered appointment viewing. However, with the multitude of ways to get information and analysis on a Sunday morning or early afternoon, traditional pregame shows like The NFL Today may not have the same impact they once did. Changes in the lineup and format may be necessary to keep viewers engaged in today’s media landscape.