Jim Donovan, "The Voice of the Cleveland Browns," has passed away at the age of 68 after battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

"This is an incredibly difficult day for us and the entire Cleveland Browns organization," Cleveland Browns Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said. "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 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."

Donovan was first named as the radio "Voice of the Cleveland Browns" in 1999, when the franchise returned from a three-year hiatus, and completed his 25^th season in 2023. Over the course of his storied career, Donovan had signature calls that highlighted his career and are permanently etched in Browns lore. From his "Run, William, run" call in 2002 – in reference to RB William Green's 64-yard touchdown run in a playoff-clinching win against the Falcons – to his "Is this how it feels?" call when the Browns defeated the Jets in Week 3 of the 2018 season – the team's first victory in 635 days – Donovan's calls are embedded into countless moments of the last generation of Browns' history.

Donovan's calls told the story of the Browns, culminating with clinching a playoff berth on Thursday Night Football in 2023 against the Jets. As the final seconds ticked down, Donovan yelled, "That's it! The Browns are going to the playoffs! The postseason is back in Cleveland!"

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."

Donovan was first diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2000, which began over a decade-long battle with the disease. He underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in the summer of 2011 and monitored the disease in the years following. Donovan announced in May 2023 that he had a relapse of the leukemia and would undergo a more aggressive treatment.

In September during the 2023 season opener against the Bengals, Donovan announced he would take a medical leave of absence from the Browns Radio Network as he continued his treatment of leukemia. He listened to all of the Browns games and followed the team as they endured the ups and downs of 2023.

He returned to the radio booth in November for Week 11 of the 2023 season, when he also served as Dawg Pound Captain and smashed a Steelers' themed guitar before kickoff. As he stepped out of the tunnel and in front of the crowd, Donovan broke out in a smile as now-Huntington Bank Field erupted in cheers and applause. Minutes after smashing the guitar, Donovan was up in the radio booth with his headset on, calling the Browns' 13-10 victory over the Steelers.

Donovan announced his retirement from WKYC on May 30, 2024. He worked his final broadcast as a sports anchor on June 10.

Originally born in Boston, Massachusetts, Donovan discovered his dream of being a sports broadcaster. Growing up, he would turn down the volume on the television and practiced calling games by watching the broadcast.

He followed his dream, as Donovan was a 1978 graduate of Boston University and began his career as a sports director for WJON radio in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Donovan first joined 3News in 1985 as a weekend sports anchor. He became the weeknight sports anchor in 1986 – a position he held until his retirement in 2024 – and was a fixture as both a sports and news anchor over his 39-year career at WKYC.

Donovan also held multiple national roles including play-by-play for NBC Sports' NFL coverage from 1987-97, swimming and soccer play-by-play in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, and World Cup Soccer in 1994.

When WKYC acquired the local, over-the-air television rights to the now Cleveland Guardians, Donovan served as play-by-play announcer from 2006–08. And then in 2012, he expanded his duties at WKYC, becoming the anchor of Channel 3's Front Row 7 p.m. newscast, while continuing his role as sports anchor.

Donovan won numerous awards throughout his career, including three Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards, Cleveland Press Club All-Ohio Best Sportscaster, the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Press Club Journalism Hall of Fame and the 2016 Cleveland Sports Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.

Arrangements to celebrate Jim's life are still being finalized.