Jim Donovan, longtime Browns radio voice and beloved Cleveland sports figure, dies at 68

A Cleveland Browns fan holds a sign in support of Browns radio announcer Jim Donovan. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Longtime Cleveland Browns radio broadcaster and WKYC anchor Jim Donovan died after struggling with cancer for decades. He was 68 years old.

Donovan began calling Browns games in 1999 when the team resumed play in the NFL after a three-year hiatus. The Browns unfortunately had 21 losing seasons in his 25 years in the booth.

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

“Jim provided so much joy and love to this city,” the Browns said in a statement posted on social media. “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 that tuned in. His signature calls will be forever embedded in Browns history.”

For many fans, Donovan’s most famous call was during the Browns’ matchup with the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 29, 2002. Cleveland had to win to make the playoffs. Holding a 17–16 lead with four minutes left, rookie running back William Green ran 64 yards for a touchdown to clinch the victory. Donovan’s “Run, William, Run!” has lived on in Browns lore ever since.

“The most incredible part about that whole play is that, you can be out at training camp on a blistering July day and people will come up to you and say, ‘The Run, William, Run call, that’s the greatest call when I watched it in the highlights and they put your call to it,'” Donovan recalled in 2016. “And that’s when you know that all the work you do for this is worth it.”

Donovan was inducted into the 2024 Class of Browns Legends in September alongside kicker Phil Dawson. Donovan’s…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-26 19:12:40

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