Boomer Esiason Dismisses Al Jazeera's Peyton Manning Report
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's been just over a week since Al Jazeera released a documentary that claimed HGH had been delivered to Peyton Manning's wife in 2011, but there's hardly been any coverage of the story.
Many mainstream outlets are shrugging the story off, not lending any credence to Al Jazeera as a credible news outlet. That includes Boomer Esiason of The NFL Today and WFAN, who told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich he wants to hear such claims from another credible source before he discusses the matter.
"I was disappointed, because here is Al Jazeera for 25-30 years, however long they've been around, spewing anti-American propaganda all across the Middle East and now I have think they have all the answers on who is taking HGH and who isn't taking HGH because of a disgruntled employee? I hate it and I can't stand it. I don't consider them as a legitimate source and I hate that we have to have these discussions," said Esiason. "I would like to see it from another source before we get into a conversation about it."
Esiason said he doesn't feel comfortable talking about such accusations given the source.
"I don't like the whole thing around it. People can make all sorts of accusations and ruin people's lives. I just don't like it and I don't feel comfortable about it. I sit behind a microphone for four hours every day, and can spew whatever I want. I take that responsibility very seriously," he said.
"I'm not going to get myself caught up in a secondary, disgruntled employee, somebody who recanted his story, and try to connect the dots – that's not my job," he continued. "Until I get a factual and better reporter it doesn't make sense to even discuss it."
Esiason understands if New England fans aren't very pleased with this story getting brushed under the rug, given all the Patriots and Tom Brady had to go through based on some mis-reporting during the DeflateGate saga. But he still wants another outlet to back up the claims before giving any credibility to Al Jazeera's report.
"I get it 100 percent and I can understand where Boston fans are coming from. I don't blame them. But at the end of the day is this what we've turned into as a society? We're just going to lob accusations out there and run with them as if they're factual?" he asked. "I don't get any great joy out of any of this. I need a much more credible source and someone to back up the story."
