James Brown misses two longtime faces of the “NFL Today” table.
During a recent appearance on the “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” podcast, Brown — an 18-year veteran on the CBS program — lamented about pals Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason, who exited “NFL Today” as part of a major shakeup earlier this year.
“Flat out, yes, [I miss them],” Brown, 73, said. “Boomer and Phil were integral in terms of what we have done and the relationships we had [at ‘NFL Today’].”
Simms, 68, and Esiason, 63, announced their departures from CBS in April, months after The Post reported that a shakeup could be on the horizon.
Former Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, 35, and ex-Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, 39, joined the panel of Brown, Bill Cowher and Nate Burleson.
Esiason, who had been an analyst with the CBS program since 2002, said of the network at the time, “More their decision than maybe mine.”
Simms, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Giants, had been part of the program since 2017.
“Nobody worked harder than Phil Simms in knowing all the Xs and Os, he’s a gym rat in that regard,” Brown told Sports Illustrated. “Boomer Esiason could talk [about] any aspect of it, because he’s well-rounded on sports in general. [He] Brought a lot of value.”
As difficult as the decision was, Brown credited network executives for the way the matter was handled.
“[I’ve got] to give CBS a tip of the hat,” he said. “How many teams have you seen with some veterans who performed well, but at some point … you’ve got the young talent that you’re bringing in.”
Brown, who expressed “sadness” over Simms’ and Esiason’s exits in May, did laud Watt and Ryan over recognition for whose shoes they’re filling.
“To their credit, J.J. Watt and Matt Ryan recognize that, and we have acknowledged that, at least in the first couple weeks of the show,” Brown said, according to Awful Announcing. “But we all know we’re there to do a job and deliver what leadership wanted to get out of this move and deliver what they were expecting.”
Simms and Esiason are keeping busy elsewhere.
Esiason hosts New York’s beloved “Boomer and Gio” sports radio show on WFAN and Simms joined Fox for Giants’ preseason football coverage. He also hosts a podcast with his son, former NFL quarterback Matt Simms.
