Boomer Esiason
A left-handed quarterback with a cannon arm and a louder mouth, he led the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl and became a fixture in the broadcast booth.
Born 1961 (age 65)·American football player and commentator·Birthday: April 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Boomer Esiason played quarterback with a gunslinger's confidence and a southpaw's flair, becoming the fiery heart of the Cincinnati Bengals for a decade. Drafted in 1984, his quick release and deep-ball accuracy made him an instant offensive force. In 1988, he engineered a magical season, winning the NFL MVP award and taking the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, where they narrowly lost to the San Francisco 49ers. His career, which also included stints with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, was marked by prolific passing numbers and a competitive streak that could ignite or infuriate. After retiring, Esiason seamlessly transitioned to broadcasting, where his candid, opinionated style made him a mainstay on NFL Monday Night Football radio and television morning shows for decades.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Boomer was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Boomer Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Boomer's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 1988 after leading the league in passer rating.
- Quarterbacked the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII following the 1988 season.
- Selected to four Pro Bowls (1986, 1988, 1989, 1993) during his 14-year career.
- Passed for over 37,000 yards and 247 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Boomer' was given to him by his father as a baby because he was always making noise.
He is one of only a handful of left-handed quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl.
He has been a national broadcast analyst for 'The NFL Today' on CBS and Westwood One's 'Monday Night Football' radio.
He established the Boomer Esiason Foundation in 1993 to fight cystic fibrosis after his son was diagnosed with the disease.
“You have to have a certain arrogance about you to play quarterback.”
