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List of Cleveland Browns broadcasters

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Since 2013, radio coverage of the Cleveland Browns professional football team has originated from flagship stations WKNR (850 AM), WKRK-FM (92.3 FM) and WNCX (98.5 FM). Play-by-play announcer Andrew Siciliano, color commentator Nathan Zegura and sideline analyst/reporter Je'Rod Cherry form the radio team (during the preseason, Zegura moves to TV, Cherry moves to the booth, and Ken Carman serves as sideline reporter).[1] Spanish-language broadcasts originate over WJMO (1300 AM) with announcers Rafa Hernández-Brito and Octavio Sequera.

WEWS (channel 5) is the preseason TV home of the Browns, with veteran national announcer Chris Rose (play by play), Nathan Zegura (color commentary) and sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala comprising the broadcast team.[2]

Radio

[edit]
Further information: Cleveland Browns Radio Network

The following is a list of sportscasters who have covered the Browns over the radio throughout the team's history (including its first four seasons as a member of the All-America Football Conference and original incarnation in the NFL from 1950 to 1995), split by play-by-play and commentary. The team began using radio sideline reporters upon its return to the NFL in 1999. Gold shading indicates championship season.[3]

Year Radio Play-by-play Commentary Sideline
1946 WGAR[a] Bob Neal Stan Gee[3]
1947 WGAR Bob Neal Bill Mayer[4][5]
1948 WGAR[6] Bob Neal Bill Mayer
1949 WGAR[7] Bob Neal Bill Mayer
1950 WERE[b] Bob Neal[8]
1951 WERE Bob Neal
1952 WTAM[9][c] Ken Coleman[10]
1953 WTAM Ken Coleman
1954 WGAR Bill McColgan[11] Bill Mayer
1955 WGAR Bill McColgan[3] Jim Graner[12]
1956 WGAR Bill McColgan Jim Graner
1957 WGAR Bill McColgan Jim Graner
1958 WGAR Bill McColgan Jim Graner
1959 WGAR Bill McColgan Jim Graner
1960 WGAR Bill McColgan Jim Graner
1961 WGAR Gib Shanley[13]
1962 WERE[14] Gib Shanley
1963 WERE Gib Shanley Jim Graner[3]
1964 WERE Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1965 WERE Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1966 WERE Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1967 WERE Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1968 WHK[15] Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1969 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1970 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1971 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1972 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1973 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1974 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Graner
1975 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller[16]
1976 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1977 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1978 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1979 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1980 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1981 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1982 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1983 WHK Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1984 WHK[17] Gib Shanley Jim Mueller
1985
Doug Dieken[18]
1986
  • WWWE
  • WDOK
  • Nev Chandler
  • Jim Mueller
 Doug Dieken
1987
  • WWWE
  • WDOK
 Nev Chandler[19] Doug Dieken
1988
  • WWWE
  • WDOK
 Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1989
  • WWWE
  • WDOK
 Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1990
Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1991
Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1992
  • WHK
  • WMMS
 Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1993
  • WHK
  • WMMS
 Nev Chandler Doug Dieken
1994
Casey Coleman[22] Doug Dieken
1995
  • WKNR
  • WDOK
 Casey Coleman Doug Dieken
1996 n/a; franchise inactive[23]
1997
1998
1999
Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2000
  • WMJI
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2001
Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2002
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2003
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2004
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2005
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Casey Coleman
2006
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken
  • Casey Coleman[d]
  • Andre Knott
2007
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan[e]		 Doug Dieken Andre Knott[26]
2008
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Andre Knott
2009
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Andre Knott
2010
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Jamir Howerton[27]
2011
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan[f]		 Doug Dieken Jamir Howerton
2012
  • WMMS
  • WTAM
 Mike Snyder (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Jamir Howerton
2013
Jeff Phelps (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Jamir Howerton
2014
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jeff Phelps (preseason)
Jim Donovan		 Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2015
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2016
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2017
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2018
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken
2019
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2020
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken Nathan Zegura
2021
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Doug Dieken[30] Nathan Zegura
2022
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan Nathan Zegura[1] Je'Rod Cherry[31]
2023
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
  • Jim Donovan
  • Various fill-ins[i]
 Nathan Zegura Je'Rod Cherry
2024
  • WKNR
  • WKRK-FM
  • WNCX
 Jim Donovan (preseason)[j]
Andrew Siciliano		 Je'Rod Cherry (preseason)
Nathan Zegura		 Ken Carman (preseason)
Je'Rod Cherry

Spanish

[edit]
Year Radio Play-by-play Commentary
2023
Rafa Hernández-Brito Octavio Sequera
2024
Rafa Hernández-Brito Octavio Sequera

Television

[edit]

Preseason TV

[edit]
Year Affiliate Play-by-play Commentary Sideline
1999 WKYC Michael Reghi[36] Bob Golic
2000 WKYC Don Criqui[36] Todd Blackledge
2001 WKYC Don Criqui Todd Blackledge
2002 WKYC Don Criqui Todd Blackledge
2003 WKYC Don Criqui Todd Blackledge
2004 WKYC Don Criqui Todd Blackledge
2005 WOIO[37] Sam Rosen
Sharon Reed
2006 WKYC[n] Sam Rosen[39]
2007 WKYC[40] Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski[41]
2008 WKYC Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2009 WKYC Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2010 WKYC Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2011 WKYC Andrew Catalon[o] Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2012 WKYC Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2013 WKYC Jim Donovan Bernie Kosar Dave Chudowski
2014 WKYC[43] Jim Donovan Solomon Wilcots Dave Chudowski
2015 WEWS[44] Mike Patrick[45] Solomon Wilcots Andy Baskin
2016 WEWS Mike Patrick Solomon Wilcots Andy Baskin
2017 WEWS Mike Patrick Solomon Wilcots Andy Baskin
2018 WEWS[46] Jay Crawford Tim Couch Jon Doss
2019 WEWS Jay Crawford Tim Couch Jon Doss
2020 n/a; preseason cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 WEWS Tom McCarthy Joe Thomas Nathan Zegura
2022 WEWS[2] Chris Rose Joe Thomas Aditi Kinkhabwala
2023 WEWS Chris Rose Joe Thomas Aditi Kinkhabwala
2024 WEWS Chris Rose Nathan Zegura Aditi Kinkhabwala

Notes

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  1. ^ a b WGAR became WKNR in 1990; currently home to WHKW.
  2. ^ WERE became WJMO in 2007.
  3. ^ a b c WTAM became KYW in 1956, WKYC in 1965, WWWE in 1972 and reverted to the WTAM calls in 1996.
  4. ^ Coleman died while the 2006 season was in progress, with Knott taking over immediately thereafter (as he had already been filling in during Coleman's illness).[26]
  5. ^ From 2007-2012 during the preseason, Donovan called the games on TV, Mike Snyder called them on radio, and Donovan went back to radio for the regular season. When the Browns changed radio flagships for the 2013 season, Jeff Phelps called preseason games on radio
  6. ^ Mike Snyder also filled in for Donovan for two games during the 2011 season related to his treatment for leukemia.[28]
  7. ^ Renamed from WRMR in 2001 and is the successor to the original WKNR; see 2001 in radio.
  8. ^ Nathan Zegura was suspended for eight games during the 2018 season after an altercation with an NFL referee; Dustin Fox of co-flagship WKRK-FM filled in for Zegura.[29]
  9. ^ Following the season opener, Donovan announced he would step away from the broadcast team to undergo treatment for leukemia, with Chris Rose, Andrew Siciliano, Paul Keels and Tom McCarthy filling in during his absence.[32] Donovan returned for the week 11 game on November 19.[33]
  10. ^ Donovan announced his retirement shortly before the start of the regular season due to undergoing treatment for cancer, with Siciliano named as his replacement
  11. ^ WJMO became the Spanish-language flagship on November 1, 2024.[34]
  12. ^ WVKO-FM became WWLA in 2024 and added WJYD as a simulcast.[34]
  13. ^ Golic served as play-by-play announcer for the first game, with Rosen then taking over for the remainder of the preseason.
  14. ^ The Browns voided their three-year[37] preseason contract with WOIO on July 18, 2006, after the station's news coverage of the drowning of then-team owner Randy Lerner's six-year-old niece.[38] A replacement contract with WKYC was announced on August 3, 2006.[39]
  15. ^ Andrew Catalon filled in for Jim Donovan during the 2011 preseason during Donovan's recovery from a bone marrow transplant.[42]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Thomas, George M. (April 27, 2022). "Cleveland Browns announce Nathan Zegura to join radio broadcast booth". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Shaw, Courtney (June 9, 2022). "Browns announce preseason television broadcast team". WEWS. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "The voices of Browns games past". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. November 10, 2002. p. J6. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  4. ^ Offineer, Bee (September 12, 1947). "Microphones Move To Gridirons". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 11. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Wallace, Julie (September 17, 1989). "'Mayer in the morning' surrounded by memories". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. E6. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022 – via NewspaperArchive.
  6. ^ "Browns Broadcast on New Ohio Network". The Tribune. Coshocton, Ohio. August 17, 1948. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "WHIZ To Air Browns' Play This Season". The Times Recorder. Zanesville, Ohio. August 8, 1949. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Offineer, Bee (March 7, 1950). "Bob Neal Joins WERE Staff: May Assist In Game Broadcasts This Year". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 30. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Tribe-Yanks On TV Tonight, Thursday; Renew Radio Pact: Browns To WTAM". The Sandusky Register. Sandusky, Ohio. Associated Press. July 15, 1952. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Cullison, Art (July 25, 1952). "Audio and Video: Strangers to Air Browns Games". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 34. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Coleman, McColgan Browns Announcers". The Daily Times. New Philadelphia, Ohio. International News Service. July 28, 1954. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Broadcast Browns Games". The Tribune. Coshocton, Ohio. September 27, 1957. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Shippy, Dick (May 26, 1961). "Along Radio-TV Row: Columnist Has Egg On His 'Pan'". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 39. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "WERE To Air Browns' Tilts This Season". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. July 10, 1962. p. 36. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "WAKR Radio Airs Bengal Grid Tilts". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. March 30, 1968. p. A12. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Sports Announcer Jim Graner Dies". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. Associated Press. January 16, 1976. p. 20. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Phelps, Peter (February 11, 1984). "WHK keeps Browns' games". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B2. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Schudel, Jeff (June 30, 1985). "Doug Dieken busy preparing for new career in TV, radio". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. 4E. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Lebovitz, Hal (June 14, 1987). "Look for Cavaliers to draft Kevin Johnson". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. 3F. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "WLTF broadcasts Browns games". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. August 3, 1990. p. C5. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Dyer, Bob (February 9, 1991). "Browns, buzzards to share air". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C1. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Pluto, Terry (December 29, 1994). "Coleman fighting a double whammy". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C1, C5. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Shea, Bill (February 17, 1998). "Kardiac Kids on the comeback". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Lancaster, Ohio. pp. C1–C2. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Pluto, Terry (January 26, 1999). "Browns Notes". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B5. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  25. ^ O'Connor, Clint (September 22, 2002). "At the controls: Clear Channel programmer rules radio in Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. J1. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  26. ^ a b Pluto, Terry (June 16, 2011). "Jim Donovan's friends wish him the best as popular sportscaster battles leukemia". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  27. ^ Dulik, Brian (August 5, 2010). "Browns notes: Are we seeing a softer side of Eric Mangini?". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  28. ^
    • Ridenour, Marla (October 17, 2011). "Streak continues for center Mack". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C6. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
    • Ridenour, Marla; Ulrich, Nate (November 7, 2011). "Blood flows and Texans fire up". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C3. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Axelrod, Ben (September 19, 2018). "Reports: Cleveland Browns sideline reporter Nathan Zegura suspended 8 games for yelling at official". WKYC. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  30. ^ Pluto, Terry (January 4, 2022). "Doug Dieken to retire as the Browns radio broadcaster after Sunday's game: 'I'm going to miss it'". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  31. ^ DeNatale, Dave; Beeble, Chris (April 27, 2022). "Cleveland Browns name Nathan Zegura as radio color analyst, Je'rod Cherry as sideline reporter". WKYC. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  32. ^ Bielik, Tim (September 10, 2023). "Jim Donovan announces he is stepping away from broadcasting Browns games to undergo leukemia treatment". Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  33. ^ Thomas, George M. (November 16, 2023). "Cleveland Browns announce return of Jim Donovan to radio broadcasts". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  34. ^ a b Venta, Lance (October 24, 2024). "Mega To Expand In Cleveland & Columbus With Radio One Partnership". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  35. ^ "Radio Affiliates". Cleveland Browns.com. Cleveland Browns. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  36. ^ a b "Browns' preseason announcers named". The News-Herald. Painseville, Ohio. May 11, 2000. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  37. ^ a b Heldenfels, R.D. (April 6, 2005). "WOIO expands Browns coverage". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. E7. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^
  39. ^ a b "Browns partner with WKYC for preseason games". The Tribune. Coshocton, Ohio. Associated Press. August 4, 2006. p. 2B. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ Thomas, George M. (April 21, 2007). "Browns call an audible on network". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C1, C5. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Dave Chudowski - WKYC.com". August 30, 2018. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  42. ^
  43. ^ "Browns, WKYC announce preseason schedule, new broadcast team". Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  44. ^ Kleps, Kevin (November 19, 2014). "Cleveland Browns, WEWS NewsChannel 5 agree to 'long-term partnership'". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  45. ^ Reed, Tom (May 15, 2015). "ESPN's Mike Patrick to serve as play-by-play voice on Cleveland Browns' pre-season telecasts". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  46. ^ Gribble, Andrew (April 11, 2018). "Jay Crawford, Tim Couch to call Browns preseason games on News 5". ClevelandBrowns.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
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