Boomer Esiason leaving Monday night NFL radio broadcasts

NEW YORK (AP) Boomer Esiason is dropping his national radio duties on NFL Monday night games.

Esiason was the analyst on Westwood One's broadcast for 18 years, sharing the booth with Kevin Harlan and, before that, Marv Albert and Howard David. The 1988 NFL MVP called the Super Bowl for each of those seasons.

Citing his daily drive-time radio show in New York and his work on CBS and Showtime studio shows, Esiason said Monday ''the timing was right for me to step away.''

A 14-year NFL veteran who led the Bengals to the 1988 AFC title, Esiason made four Pro Bowls. He ranks first among left-handed quarterbacks with 247 touchdown passes, and 19th overall.

After his son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Esiason created the Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF) in 1993 to fund research to find a cure for the deadly disease. Its mission is to provide a higher quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis. In addition, BEF provides education, awareness, and scholarships for people with the disease.

BEF has raised more than $150 million for the fight against cystic fibrosis. In 1995, the NFL honored him with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for excellence on the football field and charitable work through his foundation.

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