James Brown opens up on ‘sadness’ of Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms’ exiting ‘NFL Today’

CBS studio host James Brown recently expressed disappointment in the stunning “NFL Today” departures of colleagues Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms last month.

During an appearance on the “Sports Business Radio” podcast this week, Brown said “there’s sadness” over the shakeup at the CBS show, which added former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and Texans legend JJ Watt.

“You know what, and I’m sure you know this, it’s a family,” Brown said. “I would be disingenuous that there wasn’t some disappointment because (Simms and Esiason) have been family for decades. Literally, just about decades. Boomer and I worked together for a long period of time. They’re hard-working guys.”

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Brown is the longest-tenured of the bunch, joining CBS in 1984 while Simms joined the network a lead analyst in 1998. Esiason came aboard in 2002.

“Phil Simms, there’s no one in television or radio — no one — who works harder than Phil. He knows the game; he’s that expression that we use when we somebody see somebody who loves being out there practicing over and over and over again — Michael Jordan on the court or whomever. He’s a gym rat. Boomer covers the whole range of sports. He loves it. It’s his life,” Brown said.

“So, yeah, I’m saying there’s sadness there because they were teammates. But we’re also big boys. We all played sports — they have longer than me. And we understand that it’s part of the business.”

Rumblings of a shakeup were first reported in January by Andrew Marchand, formerly of The Post, as Simms’ contract was expiring after CBS’ Super Bowl 2024 coverage in February.

At the time, the former Giants QB, 68, said, “I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t go back to CBS. But I’m definitely going to continue to work with or in the NFL — somewhere, somehow, whatever it is. I’m just not going to go, ‘OK, I’m done. I’m retired.’”

Brown said during the podcast appearance that he did reach out to Ryan, 39, to welcome him to the team, calling him a “gem of a person who knows the business well and knows the sport well.”

He also mentioned having a strong relationship with Watt, 35.

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“We did that last year with JJ Watt. Look, he is — and this is not a matter of being cocky — he’s self-assured because he’s at that level as a premiere player and one who loves the sport. And as a teammate, and knows how to get his teammates fired up as well, too,” Brown said.

“So, we bring in a couple of guys who are pined for success, and we want to make sure that the transition is as seamless and as quick as possible by having meetings and getting to know each other. Nothing beats getting to know each other, breaking bread, and learning about your colleague, so you’ll know how best to play off and to set them up.”

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Brown’s contract expired after the 2024 season but he was extended on a two-year deal to remain with the company.

The studio show will move forward with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former receiver Nate Burleson, who is expected to have a bigger role on it now.