Jim Donovan, ‘Voice of the Cleveland Browns,’ passes away at 68

In a letter Donovan penned to Browns followers on the finish of the 2024 preseason, Donovan introduced he was stepping away from the Browns Radio Community to deal with his battle with most cancers, which had returned and in an aggressive method. Donovan was inducted into the 2024 Class of Browns Legends on Sept. 22, alongside Ok Phil Dawson, who personally notified Donovan of the information shortly earlier than the ceremony. Donovan’s daughter, Meghan, accepted the Browns Legends jacket on behalf of Donovan through the ceremony.

“He stored it actual, however he stored a optimistic tone to it,” Dawson mentioned of Donovan’s calls. “He simply all the time may discover that stability – genuine, actual, correct, however he was nonetheless supportive, even when there wasn’t an entire lot to assist. And I do know the gamers appreciated that. I do know I definitely appreciated that. He was all the time fast to attempt to present context, moderately than letting individuals simply deal with a person second. He simply actually had a knack for seeing the large image. It was all the time ‘Go Browns,’ but he stored it actual and correct, so that everyone understood what was happening.”

Donovan was first recognized with power lymphocytic leukemia in 2000, which started over a decade-long battle with the illness. He underwent a profitable bone marrow transplant in the summertime of 2011 and monitored the illness within the years following. Donovan introduced in Might 2023 that he had a relapse of the leukemia and would endure a extra aggressive therapy.

In September through the 2023 season opener in opposition to the Bengals, Donovan introduced he would take a medical depart of absence from the Browns Radio Community as he continued his therapy of leukemia. He listened to all the Browns video games and adopted the group as they endured the ups and downs of 2023.

He returned to the radio sales space in November for Week 11 of the 2023 season, when he additionally served as Dawg Pound Captain and smashed a Steelers’ themed guitar earlier than kickoff. As he stepped out of the tunnel and in entrance of the group, Donovan broke out in a smile as now-Huntington Financial institution Area erupted in cheers and applause. Minutes after smashing the guitar, Donovan was up within the radio sales space together with his headset on, calling the Browns’ 13-10 victory over the Steelers.

Donovan introduced his retirement from WKYC on Might 30, 2024. He labored his closing broadcast as a sports activities anchor on June 10.