Leadership, Resilience, and Never Forgetting w/ Boomer Esiason

What does it take to lead under pressure: on the field, in the broadcast booth, and in the most personal corners of family life? In this episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with NFL legend and MVP quarterback Boomer Esiason for a wide-ranging conversation about resilience, identity, purpose, and what it means to use your platform in service of others.

Boomer led the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance and earned league MVP honors in 1988 across a 14-year career. But his story didn't end with retirement. When his son Gunnar was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Boomer channeled his competitive drive into founding the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for research, education, and care. He also became a powerful voice for ensuring that the September 11, 2001 attacks are never forgotten, especially by the one-third of Americans who were too young or not yet born to remember that day.

In this episode, you'll hear Boomer discuss:

• What it was like to play as a left-handed quarterback in an overwhelmingly right-handed league

• The belief and mindset that fuels comeback resilience, even when a team is down 31 points at halftime

• Receiving Gunnar's cystic fibrosis diagnosis and what it demanded of him as a father and an advocate

• Where he was on September 11, 2001, and why keeping that memory alive has become a personal mission

About Boomer Esiason: Boomer Esiason is one of the most accomplished NFL quarterbacks of his era. He’s best known for leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance and earning league MVP honors in 1988. Boomer Esiason’s football career spanned 14 years, but his story extends far beyond the game. Following his playing career, he became a respected broadcaster and a passionate advocate for those in need. After his son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Boomer founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars to support research, education, and care for those living with the disease. Throughout his life, Boomer Esiason has used his platform to serve others by advancing medical progress, supporting families, and helping ensure that future generations understand the significance of moments like 9/11 that have shaped our nation.