Jim Donovan, the “Voice of the Cleveland Browns,” is making his return to the broadcast booth this Sunday when the team takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 11 rivalry matchup. Donovan stepped away from the team’s broadcast during the season opener against the Bengals to continue treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a disease he was first diagnosed with in 2000.
Donovan experienced a relapse of the disease last year, which resulted in a refined and more aggressive treatment method to combat the disease. While he was making the announcement, he vowed that he would listen to the broadcasts and come back as soon as possible.
Jim Donovan is in the midst of his 25th season behind the microphone for Browns games and is excited to return to the broadcast booth and call the action for listeners in the Cleveland metropolitan area and beyond. Additionally, he also serves as the sports anchor for 3News (WKYC) and will resume those duties on Monday.
“In addition to my teams at WKYC, the Browns, and of course my wife (Cheryl) and daughter (Meghan), I have an amazing group of doctors and caregivers at University Hospital’s Seidman Cancer Center and I truly appreciate everyone’s support,” Donovan said in a statement.
While Donovan was absent from the booth, the Browns utilized a rotation of play-by-play announcers to work with color commentator Nathan Zegura, which included Andrew Siciliano, Paul Keels and Chris Rose.
Donovan first started working with Zegura as the primary color commentator last year following Doug Deiken’s retirement from the role, which he held for 36 seasons. Je’Rod Cherry took Zegura’s role as the broadcast’s sideline reporter upon the departure of Deiken and can be heard each week on 850 ESPN Cleveland, 92.3 The Fan and 98.5 WNCX, the team’s flagship stations within its larger radio network.
