February 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cThey seem to be happy to represent America,\u201d Esiason said on WFAN. \u201cNot everybody is. But everybody should just pipe down and just do their sport and play for our country and respect the flag and respect everything that\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Esiason\u2019s comment came after freestyle skier Hunter Hess sparked headlines when he was asked about what it means to represent the United States at the Winter Games, and the Olympian admitted he has \u201cmixed emotions\u201d about it. Hess added that he is proud to represent everything he believes to be good about the United States, but his statement of \u201cjust because I\u2019m wearing the flag doesn\u2019t mean that I represent everything that\u2019s going on in the U.S.\u201d still garnered the biggest response.<\/p>\n
Despite everyone seemingly recognizing what Esiason meant when he told Olympic athletes to \u201cpipe down\u201d and \u201crespect the flag,\u201d Ryan went off on the former NFL MVP, accusing him of hiding his true feelings behind a coy statement.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSay what you mean. Say it with your chest, you chicken s**t,\u201d Ryan ranted on The Dan Le Batard Show after hearing Esiason\u2019s comment. \u201cBecause your MAGA-coded bullsh*t that\u2019s been going on for 10 years. The guy [President Donald Trump] is in office for a second time, because his whole platform is how much this country stinks! Yet you [Esiason] sit on the sidelines when Nick Bosa wears a MAGA hat on the postgame, where is the same energy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan noted that Trump uses sports to sportswash his image, with the president notably attending the Daytona 500, national championship, and other large events, but conservatives will decry the Olympics where athletes might share some of their concerns about the current state of the country they\u2019re playing for.<\/p>\n
\u201cA hell of a lot of people aren\u2019t exactly thrilled with how things are going in this country,\u201d Ryan continued. \u201c[Olympic athletes] are using their one moment, in most cases, to highlight that, because that is universally American. And you want them to shut up? Quit being a p*ssy, Boomer Esiason. Put your name to it. Say what you f*cking mean!\u201d<\/p>\n
David Samson countered Ryan by claiming Esiason did say what he meant by telling Olympic athletes to \u201cpipe down\u201d and \u201crespect the flag.\u201d But Ryan seemingly believed the one-liner was a soft jab.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just said shut up. He said pipe down. I am so sick of these snowflakes that were telling me I was soft for 10 years. I had to swallow it. You use your platform however you want, but if you\u2019re going to actually attack other people for sharing your feelings, then maybe don\u2019t just code your language. Actually say it because they\u2019re actually being brave,\u201d Ryan ranted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it is so soft to not want to actually sit down and face the consequences of your decision. You don\u2019t want to even be triggered to have someone say to your face, things aren\u2019t going great. You\u2019d rather ignore that\u2026I have more respect for the people that take to their platform and actually say what they mean with their chest than this sh*t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Esiason\u2019s comment on Olympic athletes may have been one-sided or ignorant, but it didn\u2019t require much additional context. Esiason\u2019s comment was as clear as when Laura Ingraham told LeBron James to shut up and dribble, as proved by the strong reaction it elicited.<\/p>\n
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