17 Years Later, Jeremy Schaap Revisits Emmy-nominated 2007 Story on the Esiasons and Their Efforts to Combat CF

ESPN E60 presents Second Wind: The Boomer and Gunnar Esiason Story, a film documenting the transformative journey of a father, his son, and the quest to change lives.

Second Wind debuts Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and will be available immediately after the initial airing for on-demand streaming on ESPN+.

Boomer Esiason, former NFL MVP with the Cincinnati Bengals, and host of the highest-rated sports talk show in New York City, has lived his life in the spotlight. For more than three decades, his most important role has been off the field—leading a personal crusade to find a cure for a deadly disease and save his son’s life.

Gunnar Esiason was just two years old when he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease that causes the lungs to fill with mucus, making breathing difficult. At the time, the average life expectancy for someone with CF was around 30 years.

“My ultimate dream is to have my son outlive me… because nothing is worse in life than having a child die before their parents,” Boomer Esiason told E60 in 2007.

In 1993, while quarterbacking the New York Jets, Esiason launched The Boomer Esiason Foundation, which has since raised more than $175 million to support the fight against CF and to find a cure for Gunnar and others living with the disease.

This powerful program showcases how the raw materials—interviews and ESPN footage spanning nearly 20 years—came together to craft a compelling narrative of a family’s fight for hope and progress.

In addition to Boomer and Gunnar, others interviewed in the program include:

• Cheryl Esiason – Gunnar’s Mom
• Sydney Martin – Gunnar’s Sister
• Darcy Esiason – Gunnar’s Wife
• Fredrick Van Goor, Ph.D. – Head of CF research at Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Dr. Emily DiMango – Director of the Columbia University Gunnar Esiason Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program
• Cris Collinsworth – Boomer’s teammate with the Bengals, friend, and fellow broadcaster
• Phil Simms – Former Giants QB and broadcaster with Boomer
• Logan McGovern – Pro lacrosse player with CF and Boomer Esiason Foundation Athlete

With reporting by E60’s Jeremy Schaap, the program explores groundbreaking advancements in cystic fibrosis treatment, the challenges faced by families affected by the disease, and a father’s unyielding determination to secure a future for his son.

In 2007, Schaap told the story of Gunnar’s first appearance at quarterback for his high school football team. For that story, Schaap was nominated for the Dick Schaap Award, the national sports Emmy for writing.

Second Wind was directed by Max Brodsky and produced by Ajay Atayee.

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ESPN Media Contacts
Beatrix Panitz – [email protected]

Boomer Esiason Foundation Contact:
Emma Mueller – [email protected]

About the Boomer Esiason Foundation
In 1993, Boomer Esiason’s son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Boomer and his wife Cheryl founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation to raise funds and awareness for the cystic fibrosis community. To date, the Foundation has raised over $175 million and works to provide educational and financial resources to help people living with cystic fibrosis in the here and now. To learn more, visit esiason.org.