Esiason Faces A Quick Adjustment Ex-Quarterback Starts At The Top As Monday Night Commentator

When Boomer Esiason was drafted by Cincinnati in 1984, he was given time to adjust before taking over as the Bengals’ starting quarterback.

That won’t be the case in Esiason’s first job since leaving the NFL. Esiason has been hired by ABC as an analyst on “Monday Night Football” - one of the crown jewels for announcers - and will be expected to make a seamless transition to the booth .

“This is the ultimate piece of the television puzzle as far as football is concerned,” Esiason said. “I can’t think of anybody who has been in the position to leave the game and step right into the best television show out there. This was ultimately where I wanted to be.”

Esiason joins Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf, both having worked with Frank Gifford since 1987. Most of ABC’s production team has been together for about 10 years. Esiason will have three preseason games to get up to speed.

Since its inception in 1970, “Monday Night Football” has been one of the highest-rated television shows. Part of that formula has been Gifford, who joined the booth in 1971 and will now switch to a studio role.

But recently Gifford has been little more than an NFL spokesman, promoting the game while rarely, if ever, criticizing players or coaches. Esiason, who has worked in a studio role for ABC during the playoffs, is not known to pull punches.

“I have never hid from mistakes I made or shortcomings of the teams I played on,” Esiason said. “That won’t change now that I am an announcer. That’s what the people at ABC are looking for.”