Longtime Cleveland Browns radio voice Jim Donovan has announced he is stepping away from the NFL franchise’s broadcasts after the cancer he has been battling has returned.
In a post to social media, Donovan revealed he would not be a member of the team’s radio booth in 2024.
“Unfortunately, I will not be calling the (season opener) on the Browns Radio Network. I have called my last Browns game,” Donovan revealed. “I have been dealing with cancer for many years. I’ve gone through every treatment imaginable. But my cancer is a defiant opponent and has returned and very aggressively. This will require me to devote everything I have in me to continue the fight and my family and I are committed to doing that.
“I have called Browns games for 25 years. Not a day has gone by when I haven’t paused and been so proud to be ‘The Voice of the Browns’ … I’ll be watching and listening. Here we go Brownies, here we go!”
A social media statement from the team said, “For the past 25 years, Jim Donovan has been synonymous with Browns football and the city of Cleveland. His undeniable imprint made on fans across the world with his passionate narration on game days has built a remarkable legacy.”
During the 2023 season, Donovan served as the broadcaster for a smattering of games, stepping away early in the season after revealing his cancer had returned. He triumphantly stepped back into the Cleveland Browns’ radio booth later in the year. Earlier this year, he revealed that he was cancer-free. Unfortunately, the cancer has returned.
Donovan, who has been the team’s voice since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999, ended his note by stating “It’s been an honor.”
