Ex-NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, who played in the Super Bowl with the Cincinnati Bengals and later worked for CBS, has found a new opponent: Winter Olympic athletes who speak their minds on politics.
The former New York Jet noted on his WFAN show Monday that he watched the U.S. win gold in team skating.
“Are they happy to represent America?” cohost Gregg Giannotti asked in the clip shared by Awful Announcing.
“Everybody should just pipe down and just do their sport and play for our country and respect the flag and respect everything that’s going on.” – Boomer Esiason on the Olympics pic.twitter.com/LCbbnhCtd9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 10, 2026
“They seem to be happy to represent America,” Esiason replied. “Not everybody is. But everybody should just pipe down and just do their sport and play for our country and respect the flag and respect everything that’s going on.”
The two hosts then pivoted to the appeal of figure skating.
Much of the focus on athletes piping up has been on the U.S. squad expressing dissent with the administration and President Donald Trump.
Freestyle skier Hunter Hess said he had “mixed feelings” representing the U.S., prompting Trump to call him a “real loser.” Other Olympians have also spoken out against Trump’s policies, which include migrant raids and the killings of two protesters.
Some American athletes pushed back at Trump’s name-calling, saying it was “childish” and “disappointing.”
Incidentally, U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn, who helped the U.S. win its team gold, has been a fierce critic of the Trump administration as well.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, in Milan to promote the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, blamed the media this week for asking political questions and yet seemed to defend Trump for speaking his mind.
Esiason got sacked by critics on social media:
Respect everything going on? How about they represent the country by competing and stand up for what they believe in. Thats what true Americans do, they stand up for what they believe in using their freedom of speech. Not to shut their mouths and be a coward to placate too…
— Kory Waldron (@FullAccessHoops) February 10, 2026
No way Boomer. Freedom is speech is our most cherished and God given right.
— Sam Fontana (@MrSamFontana) February 10, 2026
Sorry Boom. Athletes are citizens too. Staying quiet is how evil has won all this time. Bravo to the athletes being brave enough to raise their voices when asked or unasked.
— Kenshiro (@Ronin_Ken) February 10, 2026
i love Boom but man it’s much bigger than the sport right now
— ev 🇵🇷 (@evnyc_) February 10, 2026
I’m sure @7BOOMERESIASON‘s message to Tommie Smith and John Carlos would have been the same: “Pipe down and do your sport.” 🙄
— Chris Mycoskie 🎙️ (@mycoskie) February 10, 2026
