Former Browns announcer Jim Donovan dies at 68

Jim Donovan, known for a generation as the “Voice of the Cleveland Browns” and even longer for his work in the Cleveland market on television, died Saturday.

Donovan, 68, had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). He was first diagnosed with the disease in 2000.

“This is an incredibly difficult day for us and the entire Cleveland Browns organization,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a team statement. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jim Donovan. His impact as the voice of the Browns for 25 years is immeasurable as he touched the lives of our fans every Sunday with his love for the Browns and his brilliance at his craft.”

“He will be greatly missed, but he has cemented a legacy that will live on forever. The only thing that outweighed his love for this city and this team was the love he felt for his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Cheryl, his daughter Meghan and everyone who was fortunate enough to call Jimmy family or friend.”

Although he underwent a bone marrow transplant in the summer of 2011, the disease returned a year ago, causing him to step away from broadcasting for a time to receive treatment. He returned in November, but leukemia returned again this year, causing him to retire from the broadcast booth altogether in late August.

Donovan's calls to Browns games were often among the highlights of the otherwise 25 years of mostly football losses. While he was never afraid to tell it like it was, regardless of whether it made the team look bad or not, his enthusiasm in the big moments was hard to miss.

“That's it!” Donovan exclaimed as the final seconds ticked down in the Browns' decisive playoff win over the New York Jets on Dec. 28. “The Browns are going to the playoffs!” The postseason is back in Cleveland!”

“He waited so long to get a play-by-play job that he never took it for granted,” Doug Dieken, a former Browns offensive tackle and Donovan's longtime radio partner from 1999 to 2000, said in August Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. “He loves every minute he plays with the Browns. That’s why you know it’s so hard for him.”

The Browns signed Donovan to the Cleveland Browns Legends along with former placekicker Phil Dawson before their Week 3 home game against the New York Giants. He was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reasons.

“He had an uncanny ability to be accurate and true in everything he said and still be supportive,” Dawson said in a Zoom call on Sept. 19. “I don’t know how he found that balance. So whether it was a devastating loss, I had looked at some of his stuff after the game, kind of wanted to know what was floating around, and Jim just had a knack for it: “Here's what happened.” He shared with the public with what he saw, however, he did so with great class and I know I appreciated that.

“He understood Cleveland and was able to bring an element of what the city was feeling, what the city was frustrated with and what the city was ready to celebrate. So he kind of put it all together and, man, what an honor to have a guy call every game I played as a Brown.”

The last public statement Donovan made to fans came about the Browns after he retired from the locker room on August 29th. It took the form of a letter published by the team.

Most of the letter dealt with the health struggle Donovan was going through. There was also the usual Donovan optimism about the opener against the Dallas Cowboys and the season as a whole.

However, it was the third paragraph that summed up the relationship between Donovan and the legion of Browns fans.

“I have called Brown’s games for 25 years,” the letter said. “Not a day went by that I didn't stop and feel so proud to be 'The Voice of the Browns.'” Cheryl, Meghan and I thank you for all your love, support and prayers during my difficult times. It's like we have a huge family around us…It was an honor, Jim Donovan”

Donovan, who lived in Hinckley with his wife, Cheryl, and daughter, Meghan, was hired as the Browns' radio host when the expansion franchise began operations in 1999, the eighth full-time radio host in team history, dating back to the original franchise. Like many others, including Nev Chandler, Casey Coleman and Gib Shanley, he was already established in the Cleveland market as sports director at WKYC-TV Channel 3.

The Browns' last radio broadcast for Donovan was the team's preseason finale at the Seattle Seahawks on August 24. He had made his last show for Channel 3 before retiring in June.

Former NFL Network star Andrew Siciliano replaced Donovan in the radio booth full-time this season. Nick Camino has been promoted to replace Donovan as Channel 3's sports director.

The Browns used a variety of announcers to fill in for Donovan in his absence a year ago. They included Siciliano, WKRK-FM anchors Jeff Phelps and Chris Rose, as well as Ohio State Radio announcer Paul Keels and Fox broadcaster Tom McCarthy.

Health issues caused Donovan to be out of the broadcast booth for two games during the 2022 season. He was under pressure in a Week 6 game against the New England Patriots and also missed a Week 11 game at the Miami Dolphins due to COVID.

Donovan, a Boston native, had worked at Channel 3 since 1985. He was also involved in a number of national broadcast roles, including NFL broadcasts on NBC from 1987 to 1997, as well as the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1994 World Cup.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ.

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