There are a few ways to look at Booger McFarland’s now-concluded run as part of ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast.
For one, he was wildly entertaining. The caveat, though, was that it often was because of nonsensical or downright obvious remarks he would make throughout the course of a game. His penchant for stating the obvious became a meme, and he became the target of fans and players alike.
But now he’s off the job, according to The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch. While McFarland, and play-by-play man Joe Tessitore have been taken off the job, they will remain in “prominent roles” at the network.
So now that we won’t have Booger and Tess gracing our televisions on Mondays throughout the Fall, let us revisit some of Booger’s best quotes and finest moments.
— His suspect use of the telestrator
Not once, but twice, McFarland was dunked on for making on-screen drawings that most certainly did not come off the way he intended for them to.
First was a December 16 game between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts.
What an interesting diagram pic.twitter.com/SvRchsoOEh
— Pick Six Podcast (@picksixpod) December 17, 2019
Then, just a few weeks later, he proved he did not learn his lesson by making a similar misstep during the Houston Texans-Buffalo Bills playoff game.
Booger McFarland with a helpful graphic. pic.twitter.com/aTBWUteozL
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 5, 2020
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— His behemoth of a contraption that he did sideline reports from before people complained and got it axed
Ah, the BoogerMobile. Or whatever it was called.
Regardless, before McFarland moved up to the booth following Jason Witten’s departure as an analyst, McFarland was on the sidelines for games. But for much of the 2018 season, he was stationed in an absolute monstrosity of a device that at times actually obstructed the view of fans.
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports Images
Absurd.
— Getting taken to the woodshed by ex-49er Brent Jones
McFarland was critical of 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s mechanics during a broadcast, which prompted former San Francisco tight end Brent Jones to just rip the analyst on a podcast.
“The Garoppolo thing has me a little fired up. I really am frustrated with, you know, Snot Nose, or Loogie or Booger or whatever the guy’s name is. You know what? I try not to throw people under the bus most of the time, but, you are a very, very average defensive lineman your whole career and if I could pick anybody on a team that knows less about what’s truly going on offensively and defensively, it would be a defensive lineman.”
— Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs mock McFarland (Nov. 2019)
They might as well let me commentate
— DIGGS (@stefondiggs) November 19, 2019
— Calling Travis Kelce better than Rob Gronkowski (Oct. 2018):
“He’s the best tight end in football. He’s the reason why we saw (Broncos cornerback) Chris Harris Jr. on him. You can’t put a linebacker or a safety on him.
“No disrespect to Gronk — Travis Kelce is the best tight end in football.”
*He got shredded for that take.
— Talking about the Minneapolis Miracle (Dec. 2019):
“These are the type of plays that historically have gone against the Vikings — the Minneapolis Miracle — plays that are fluke plays that went against this team. I’m sure Vikings fans are saying it’s about time we get one of these plays to go our way.”
*The Vikings most certainly won the Minneapolis Miracle game.
— His disaster of a Rams-Ravens game (Nov. 2019):
Booger was in rare form for game between Los Angeles and Baltimore, producing a number of wild lines.
After the Rams moved from the seven-yard line to the 12-yard line in the red zone because their center jumped offsides, McFarland fired this off.
“I know you never want to get penalties. I understand that. You never want to get them. But this may actually help the Rams, because it gives them more room. Because all the Ravens are going to do as you get down close to the 10-yard line, the field shrinks. If you can’t run it in, it gets tough. So this may actually help the Rams as they try to pass this ball into the end zone.”
And then…
“The Rams, you know, have yellow uniforms.”
“If I’m the Rams, I’m gonna force Lamar (Jackson) to have the football. All you’ve got to do is tackle him.”
“Tess, in order for Lamar Jackson to win MVP, he will have to convince people he is more valuable than Patrick Mahomes.”
— This odd Zac Taylor take (Sept. 2019)
With the Bengals down by 24-3 in an eventual 27-3 loss that would drop them to 0-4 on the season, McFarland couldn’t help but gush about Cincy’s coach.
“I do like what Zac Taylor is doing here In Cincinnati. I like what they’re building. I like their energy that Zac Taylor has brought from the West Coast to the East Coast.”
Godspeed, Booger.
