After 22 years as a staple of The NFL Today, Boomer Esiason has announced that he will not be returning to CBS in the fall. Esiason, who is also a host on CBS Sports Network, has decided to focus on his radio show instead of the pregame show. This news marks a significant change for the show and leaves it with a re-worked lineup.
Despite Esiason’s departure, James Brown will remain on the show. Other members of the show, including Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, and Nate Burleson, had contracts that were also up for renewal but their fate remains uncertain. J.J. Watt, who appeared on a part-time basis in 2023, is under contract but the lineup for the upcoming season is still being finalized.
As advertisers prepare for their annual “upfronts” in two weeks, more announcements regarding The NFL Today lineup are expected. The show debuted in the 1970s and was once considered appointment viewing but now faces competition from various platforms offering information and analysis on Sunday mornings and early afternoons. With changing viewership patterns due to the shifting landscape of sports media, traditional pregame shows like The NFL Today are facing tougher competition than ever before.
