Former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason didn't outright call his former franchise "cheap," but his reaction to his Ring of Honor invite said enough.
Esiason revealed on his radio show this week that he received an email from the Bengals inviting him to Week 8's Bengals-Jets game on Oct. 26 during which the team will induct two more members into the Ring of Honor, Dave Lapham and Lemar Parrish. Esiason, who is already a Ring of Honor member, didn't seem all that excited about the upcoming ceremony given that he would be footing the entire bill of travel costs.
Esiason read aloud the email invite and shared that he would be getting two complimentary tickets to the game. However, he would have to pay for his own flight and hotel for the weekend, and he wouldn't receive any special VIP seats for the ceremony.
Take a listen below:
"I love my Bengal fans, but..."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 22, 2025
Boomer Esiason reveals how meager the Bengals' amenities will be for Ring of Honor ceremony this season 😳 pic.twitter.com/4RNkk5jdVP
"Who dey? Who dey think they are making you pay for your own hotel room? That's what I would say," co-host Gregg Giannotti said.
“Do you think I’m an elitist if I say no to that?” Esiason asked.
It's unclear whether Esiason actually plans on attending, but Cincinnati can probably pencil him in as a soft no based on his severely disappointed reaction to the invite.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Boomer Esiason Was Seriously Offended by Bengals’ Ring of Honor Invite.
