The Cleveland Browns and the Dawg Pound will be mourning Sunday when the team plays host to the Baltimore Ravens. Longtime Browns announcer Jim Donovan died at 68 after a cancer battle.
We are heartbroken that Jim Donovan, the Voice of the Browns, has passed away.
Jim provided so much joy and love to this city. His steady presence on the radio for Browns games and on television for nightly news made it feel like he was an extended family member for all those… pic.twitter.com/ASYOzIKK7G
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 26, 2024
“This is an incredibly difficult day for us and the entire Cleveland Browns organization,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said. “His impact as the Voice of the Browns for 25 years is immeasurable as he touched the lives of our fans each and every Sunday with his love for the Browns and his brilliance at his craft.
“He will be greatly missed, but he 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 had 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.”
Per Cleveland Browns.com:
In a letter Donovan penned to Browns fans at the end of the 2024 preseason, Donovan announced he was stepping away from the Browns Radio Network to focus on his battle with cancer, which had returned and in an aggressive manner. Donovan was inducted into the 2024 Class of Browns Legends on Sept. 22, alongside K Phil Dawson, who personally notified Donovan of the news shortly before the ceremony. Donovan’s daughter, Meghan, accepted the Browns Legends jacket on behalf of Donovan during the ceremony.
“He kept it real, but he kept a positive tone to it,” Dawson said of Donovan’s calls. “He just always could find that balance – authentic, real, accurate, but he was still supportive, even when there wasn’t a whole lot to support. And I know the players appreciated that. I know I certainly appreciated that. He was always quick to try to provide context, rather than letting people just focus on an individual moment. He just really had a knack for seeing the big picture. It was always ‘Go Browns,’ yet he kept it real and accurate, so that everybody understood what was going on.”
From his first to his final call and all the memorable moments in between, The Voice will echo for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/KTh0mVdrF6
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 26, 2024
The Guardians offered their condolences.
We join the rest of the Cleveland community in mourning the loss of Cleveland media member, friend to many, and long-time voice of the @Browns, Jim Donovan. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/SUaFUPXSGH
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 26, 2024
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Donovan. For 25 years, he brought joy to Cleveland as the Voice of the Browns. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/NB3A1QtzIb
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) October 26, 2024
We are heartbroken to share the news that our friend and colleague Jim Donovan, the iconic Cleveland sportscaster who was a fixture at WKYC for 39 years and the Browns radio voice for 25 seasons, has passed away at the age of 68. https://t.co/CzHk0lzVy5 pic.twitter.com/4jMfgP3aYf
— WKYC 3News (@wkyc) October 26, 2024
No one brought more joy to Cleveland Browns football than Jim Donovan.
It’s been such an incredible blessing to have Jim narrating through everything with such passion. Such genuine love for our team and city.
Rest in power Jim. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cN2TaLjr6s
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) October 26, 2024
