Boomer Esiason Says Drunk Ravens Fan Argued With Bill Cowher That NFL Is Rigged

Bill Cowher hasn’t been the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach since 2006. But he’s still hearing it from Baltimore Ravens fans. On Monday’s episode of WFAN’s Boomer and Gio, Boomer Esiason told the story of leaving Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. At the train station on the way back, a belligerent Ravens fan began to argue with Cowher that the NFL is fixed. 

“He decides he’s going to come over and talk to us about how the NFL is rigged,” Esiason said. “And he used very colorful language…I know Coach is a Hall of Famer and he’ll die with that shield. As I will. But maybe not as intense as him. But they’re in this conversation.”

Esiason says the Ravens fan got heated in his conversation with Cowher with Esiason thinking he might have to “get up and f’ing smash this guy right in the face” if he got any more confrontational. He believed the man had been drinking, which is probably how a “I yelled at Bill Cowher about the NFL being rigged” story begins.

“We are not going to let anybody go after Coach Cowher. Are you out of your minds?” Esiason said.

Without giving it too much attention, the latest conspiracy theory has the NFL rigging games to help the Kansas City Chiefs win, keeping the romance between TE Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in the news to boost ratings. Ignoring the fact the Chiefs have been to the AFC title game for six straight seasons, represented the AFC in four of the last five Super Bowls and hoisted two Lombardi Trophies. This side story is good for the NFL, but the billion-dollar enterprise sure doesn’t have to manufacture it.

Esiason says Cowher remained calm while talking to the fan, who clearly wasn’t listening to Cowher’s side of the story. Eventually, police came over to shoo him away with Cowher and company catching the train back to New York City without issue. While trying to debate with someone who thinks the NFL is rigged is a futile exercise, Esiason says that’s just how Cowher is wired.

“To his credit, he’s trying to be Coach Cowher. Trying to be a nice guy to everybody. Signs all the autographs. Takes all the pictures. He’s a legend.”

Esiason also made clear that every other Ravens fans he was around that day were pleasant to talk to, though probably less cheerful following Baltimore’s 17-10 loss. CBS is broadcasting Super Bowl LVIII so fingers crossed no one else tries to sell Cowher on this made-up conspiracy.

Watch the full clip below.