Boomer Esiason reacts to Bengals Ring of Honor induction

Retired quarterback and current "The NFL Today" analyst Boomer Esiason was hosting WFAN's "Boomer and Gio" program Thursday morning when the Cincinnati Bengals revealed Esiason and wide receiver Chad Johnson will be inducted into their Ring of Honor this September. 

"Wow, that’s amazing," Esiason said on the air shortly after the Bengals confirmed the news, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "It’s kind of surreal, actually. It was 39 years ago that I was drafted by the Bengals. Feels like another lifetime ago…I’m honored, and certainly feel very privileged to say I will be in Paul Brown Stadium (currently Paycor Stadium). My name’s gonna be up there. That’s pretty cool." 

Esiason entered the NFL when the Bengals spent a second-round draft pick to land his services in 1984, and he remains one of the greatest offensive players in the history of the franchise. He earned Most Valuable Player honors for the 1988 season and guided the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, where they fell to the San Francisco 49ers 20-16 in January 1989. 

Esiason was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his first stint with the Bengals, which ran from 1984 through the 1992 campaign. According to Pro-Football-Reference, he is still third in Bengals franchise history with 27,149 career passing yards and 187 career touchdowns through the air.

Cincinnati will officially induct both Esiason and Johnson into the club's Ring of Honor at halftime of the Week 3 "Monday Night Football" game versus the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 25.

Esiason acknowledged during the show segment he felt somewhat jealous watching other Ring of Honor ceremonies occur over the years. He previously worked as the lead analyst for Westwood One's "Monday Night Football" broadcasts. 

"It’s something that irked me for many years, that I would go to Monday night games and see all these guys on these other organizations getting honored for being a part of that organization’s history, and linking fans together," Esiason explained. "Today’s fans and yesterday’s fans...I am humbled and grateful, and it feels kind of cool, actually."

Esiason should've gone into the Bengals' Ring of Honor years ago, but now he'll only have to wait a couple more months to experience a moment he and his family will never forget.