About the Boomer Esiason Foundation

 

Boomer Esiason, who quarterbacked the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals during a 14-year NFL career, joined CBS Sports in 2002 as a studio analyst for “The NFL Today,” the CBS television network's NFL pregame show.

 

Upon retiring from the NFL after the 1997 season, Esiason headed straight for the broadcast booth. He made his debut as a commentator for ABC’s NFL "Monday Night Football" and called "MNF" games for two years. For the past nine years, he has called games for Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports' "Monday Night Football" broadcasts with Marv Albert. In 2007, Esiason debuted as host of WFAN's national weekday morning radio show, “Boomer and Carton in the Morning.” Esiason also hosted "The Boomer Esiason Show" on Madison Square Garden Network.

 

After an All-America career at the University of Maryland, Esiason became a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history, including being named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1988. Esiason ended his career with 2,969 completions in 5,205 pass attempts (57 percent completion percentage) for 247 touchdowns and 37,920 yards.

 

Throughout his career, Esiason has been a committed and active participant in many charitable causes, becoming a leading national figure in the fight against cystic fibrosis (CF) through his work at the Boomer Esiason Foundation. He and his wife, Cheryl, established the nonprofit organization in 1993 after their son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with the life threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.

 

The Boomer Esiason Foundation is a dynamic partnership of leaders in the medical and business communities joining with a committed core of volunteers to heighten awareness, education and quality of life for those affected by cystic fibrosis, while providing financial support to research aimed at finding a cure.

 

The Boomer Esiason Foundation has raised over $90 million since its inception. As the median age of survival for CF patients has increased to over 37, and many are living well into their adult years, Esiason has taken on bridging the gap between pediatric and adult CF care by leading the charge to create state-of-the-art facilities for those adults afflicted with the disease. This charge began when the Foundation granted Columbia University Medical Center $6 million in 2007 to establish the Gunnar Esiason Adult Cystic Fibrosis and Lung Program -- a top adult CF care center that opened doors in March 2009. Esiason and his Foundation have also instituted several educational, awareness and compliance programs aimed at the adult CF population.

 

Esiason has attacked the disease head-on and helped bring CF to the forefront of policy discussions throughout the country. He has traveled to Capitol Hill on multiple occasions and to various states to advocate for the CF community.

 

Esiason was born April 17, 1961, in West Islip, N.Y.  He lives in Plandome, N.Y., with Cheryl, Gunnar and their daughter, Sydney.