Jim Donovan, the beloved voice of the Cleveland Browns since the Browns got back in the NFL in 1999, is retiring. Very few figures in Cleveland Browns franchise history are universally loved and appreciated, but Donovan is one of them.
Donovan has battled cancer several times over the years. It has kept him out of the booth from time to time, but fans came to rely on him to come back and be better than ever.
Ten days before the Browns will host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, Donovan updated fans on his health.
Donovan called his cancer a "defiant opponent that has returned and very aggressively." He vows to continue fighting the disease. Donovan thanks the Cleveland Browns and the fans for their support over 25 years calling it "a huge family."
In typical Donovan fashion, he closed his statement with a rallying cry for the Browns saying "Now let's go get those Cowboys and make this '24-'25 season a great one."
Donovan is an icon in Cleveland.
One fan put it best by writing:
"I can’t really explain how this makes me feel for a person I have never met. I’m not a person that gets emotional over celebrities in general. They’re just people. Jim Donovan is very different. Ive shared emotional ups & downs with his voice. I feel like I know him. This hurts"
Listen to Jim Donovan at his best calling the Browns improbable entrance into the playoffs in 2020.
Prayers up for the legend Jim Donovan who announced today he won't be calling Browns games due to his battle with cancer.
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) August 29, 2024
All of Cleveland is behind you Jimmy! pic.twitter.com/L5S9Ozzfno
