Boomer Esiason is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Arbitrarily, he is also one of the best left-handed quarterback to ever play. The NFL Network ranked him 3rd best behind Kenny “The Snake” Stabler and Steve Young. Oddly enough, he was probably one of the blondest quarterback in the league ever. Throughout his College and NFL football career he wore the number 7. He is currently a analyst/color commentator.
The 6’5″ Esiason is probably the most famous football player to graduate from The University Of Maryland (at College Park.) Esiason set 17 school records for passing and total offense during an All-American career at the University of Maryland. He led the Terrapins to the Atlantic Coast Conference title and a Citrus Bowl berth in 1983. He is most known for his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He also played for the New York Jets and the Arizona Cardinals.
Boomer Esiason
When Esiason retired from football in 1997, he was the most prolific left-handed quarterback in NFL history. He had led the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII vs San Francisco in 1988 and was a 4 time Pro-Bowler. Esiason is one of the 9 players to ever throw for more than 500 yards in a game and out of those 9 he is one of the 5 to do it in a losing effort.
Nearing the end of his career in 1993, Esiason found out that his son Gunnar, who is now at Boston College, was diagnosed at age 2 with cystic fibrosis (CF) which is an incurable genetic disorder. Right after Gunnar was diagnosed with CF, Boomer started The Boomer Esiason Foundation to help others with CF. Primarily affecting the lungs, CF’s symptoms include persistent coughing, shortness of breath, and vulnerability to infection. Those afflicted with CF must undergo frequent treatments to keep their airways open and mucus-free. Not long ago, life expectancy for CF sufferers was less than 20 years.
Gunnar and Boomer
Thanks in no small part to the Esiasons, that number has nearly doubled over the past decade. The Boomer Esiason Foundation recently passed the $80 million mark in funds raised for CF research and assists young CF sufferers like Gunnar to lead fuller lives through scholarships and other support services. Gunnar, himself, undergoes daily treatment for his condition and has participated in clinical studies to help others with his condition.
How did he get his colorful name?
Boomer got his nickname before he was even born. Boomer was born Norman Julius Esiason, Jr. but he was given the nickname Boomer because he kicked so much in the womb and the name stuck!
Note: Esiason got into fight at a playground with Anthony Cumia, of the Opie & Anthony Show when the two were in elementary school. The results were broken bones of the shock jock. According to Cumia, the fight started when he referred to Esiason by his given name Norman.
By the way…No one calls him by his given name.
