CBS had been rumored to look at shaking up its “The NFL Today” pregame show. Now, the network is following through on making some changes.
Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms won’t return to the show, reports The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. Another former NFL quarterback, Matt Ryan, will join the pregame panel of analysts Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson and J.J. Watt (on a part-time basis) with host James Brown.
Esiason, the former Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets quarterback, had been on “The NFL Today” for 22 years. He announced on his WFAN radio morning show on Monday that he wouldn’t be back.
“I am stepping away from ‘The NFL Today’ on CBS,” Esiason said, while also announcing that he signed an extension with WFAN. “More their decision than maybe mine, but I really thought the Super Bowl was my swan song and I thought the way CBS handled especially us guys out there in Las Vegas, it was amazing.”
Boomer Esiason announces he is leaving The NFL Today on CBS, but signed an extension to continue his WFAN morning show with Gio pic.twitter.com/91E0OzmGx9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 29, 2024
CBS’ telecast for Super Bowl LVIII drew the highest rating ever for an American TV broadcast, averaging 123.4 million viewers across the network’s platforms.
Simms, who won two Super Bowls as quarterback of the New York Giants, joined “The NFL Today” in 2017 after 13 years as CBS’ top game analyst with announcer Jim Nantz. (Before that, he called games with Greg Gumbel for six seasons.)
Great 26 yrs run with CBS SPORTS. Even though that part of my career is over I look forward to what is next..
— Phil Simms (@PhilSimmsQB) April 29, 2024
The contracts for both Esiason and Simms had expired, while Burleson and Cowher are presumably being renewed.
Ryan joined CBS during the 2023-24 NFL after being released by the Indianapolis Colts. The 15-year veteran (who played 14 seasons for the Atlanta Falcons) was open to continue his playing career as he called game broadcasts with Andrew Catalon and Tiki Barber, but no team showed interest.
Last week, Ryan officially announced his retirement. Knowing that he was ready to be a full-time broadcaster likely compelled CBS to add him to “The NFL Today.” With him, Burleson and Watt, the pregame show now has a younger look with analysts who also engage fans and viewers on social media.
