For the past week Boomer Esiason has had to host his WFAN morning show without regular on-air partner Craig Carton. Last week, Carton was arrested by federal agents on multiple charges that he allegedly ran a Ponzi scheme in relation to a fake ticket scam. And Carton has remained off the air as he’s on indefinite suspension by CBS Radio.
Esiason did address the situation on the day following Carton’s arrest, but he made his first extended comments about it on Monday during his weekly appearance on the Toucher & Rich program on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, he said losing Carton was a big blow:
“I’m lost and heartbroken over the whole thing, trying to figure out what the future holds,” Boomer told Toucher & Rich. “We just have to wait and see and only time will tell.”
Esiason told 98.5 The Sports Hub that he spoke with Carton over the weekend, the first time since he was arrested:
“It was a very somber call; I was more interested about his family. You can imagine how that must be. If you guys have worked with anybody who has had problems in their life, you want the best for them; want to love them and their family, give them hope and support. But under the current circumstances there is only so much support I can give and a lot of it can’t be public,” he said. “All I can do is tell him I love him dearly, I’m pulling for him and privately I’ll try to help him the best I can.”
Esiason went on his own show to talk about the phone call with Carton:
Boomer Esiason talks briefly about his conversation with Craig Carton on Saturday; says he's supportive of Craig and it's time to move on. pic.twitter.com/efXlrhxcYw
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) September 11, 2017
Esiason says Carton has received a lot of ridicule and scorn since the arrest, but said he’s going to fight the federal charges “as hard as he can.” In the meantime, the Boomer & Carton show will roll on with various guest co-hosts including Esiason’s NFL Today and Inside the NFL co-hort Phil Simms.
