The past few months have been a tough ride for Greg Papa, both personally and professionally. The latest blow came at the beginning of this month after KNBR laid off the longtime Bay Area sportscaster. Papa, a cancer survivor, opened up about his journey and his goal ahead.
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“Honestly, I’m not afraid to die,” he told NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai. “I went from terminal to terminated. Right now the goal is to get back into that booth and, you know, bellow out.”
On August 7, Cumulus Media, which owns KNBR, issued a statement confirming their decision to fire Papa and praising his decades of work at the station
“We’re not able to comment on the specifics of his departure, but we want to be clear about this: our respect and gratitude for everything Greg has given to KNBR, its listeners, and its team runs deep,” read a part of the statement.
The 63-year-old broadcasting veteran, who has won the California Sportscaster of the Year award, was diagnosed with leukemia just over a year ago. He battled against lung failure, too, and was hospitalized. Only a month ago, he returned to his North Bay residence after a 78-day hospitalization that nearly cost him his life.
He underwent a successful bone marrow transplant on March 4. Broadcasting might be challenging for Papa. As he said in his interview with the Chronicle, he is using supplemental oxygen. Now cancer-free, his dependence on oxygen has decreased.
While Papa is no longer a part of KNBR, he looks forward to starting broadcasting again. The 42-year broadcasting veteran has a separate contract with the 49ers that has been running since 2019, as the team’s radio play-by-play man.
“Right now the goal is to get back into that booth and, you know, bellow out. Let’s see if I can do it,” he said during the interview with Mathai.
Mathai posted a picture on his Instagram account from the time Papa was undergoing his treatment. He looked weak in his hospital bed. From there, during the interview, he again showed how he regained his strength and is all ready to hit the booth.
“You ready? Touchdown! SAN FRAN-CISCO!” he shouted in his signature style.
For decades, Papa’s voice has helped bring some of sports’ most memorable moments to life. Whether calling games for the A’s, Raiders, Warriors, Giants, or 49ers, he gave fans countless memories. His voice still carries the same strength.