Boomer Esiason

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Boomer's most successful campaign arrived in 1988. After starting six straight wins, he endured a rough patch, throwing five interceptions in a loss to the New England Patriots on October 16. Yet, he rallied the team to finish 12–4 with the NFL's highest-scoring offense. In the playoffs, Cincinnati defeated the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills to reach Super Bowl XXIII against the San Francisco 49ers. The game was a tight affair, tied 3–3 at halftime—the first such tie in Super Bowl history. Marred by a sore arm from the previous week's games, Esiason threw for 144 yards on 11-of-25 passing with one interception. Despite leading 16–13 with three minutes remaining, Joe Montana led a 92-yard drive capped by a John Taylor touchdown. A last-ditch pass to Cris Collinsworth was broken up, ending the game in a 20–16 defeat.

In Their Own Story

On December 21, 1986, Boomer Esiason etched his name into Bengals history during a home victory over the New York Jets. In a 52–21 blowout, he threw five touchdown passes, setting a team record for most in a single game. He also completed enough passes to set the franchise's single-season passing yardage mark at 3,959 yards that day. His dominance continued on October 29, 1989, when he tied his own record with five touchdowns in a 56–23 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the team also tied an eight-touchdown game record. Later, on October 7, 1990, Esiason threw for 490 yards against the Los Angeles Rams, setting another single-game passing record in a 34–31 victory.

Reader's Guide

Esiason's path to Cincinnati began with a surprise second-round selection as the first quarterback taken in the 1984 draft. He made his pro debut on October 7, 1984, leading the Bengals to a 13–3 win over Houston Oilers on a rainy day, scoring the only touchdown on a three-yard run. By September 22, 1985, he had taken over as the full-time starter. Known for his mobility and powerful arm at 6'5" and 224 pounds, he mastered Sam Wyche's difficult "no huddle" offense. In his final season, he replaced Jeff Blake midway through, throwing 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions for a 106.9 passer rating, leading the team to win four of their last five games.

Did You Know?

• Esiason received the nickname "Boomer" before he was born because his mother, Irene, reacted to his constant kicking in the womb.
• His backup and roommate at the University of Maryland was future NFL quarterback and head coach Frank Reich.
• During a 1995 game with the Jets, Esiason suffered his first severe concussion after being hit under the face mask by Buffalo Bills' Bruce Smith on a play where no whistle had blown yet.
• In a 1986 game against the New York Jets, he set a team record by throwing five touchdown passes and also established the single-season passing record of 3,959 yards in that same contest.