Bay Area broadcasting veteran Greg Papa was laid off by KNBR

Longtime sports broadcaster Greg Papa, a 63-year veteran, has been unexpectedly laid off by KNBR-AM/FM, a station that proudly supports its cherished shows. Papa, whose voice has resonated with countless fans, is currently recovering in his North Bay home following a successful bone marrow transplant that cured him of leukemia. Despite his cancer-free status, Papa faced post-transplant complications that nearly cost his life and left his lungs damaged, causing him to return to the hospital.

The station's decision to replace Papa and his co-host Greg Silver's "Papa & Silver" show with a new program in the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot has left fans in a state of confusion. The station has not officially announced the end of "Papa & Silver," but a July 5th YouTube live stream of the "Murph & Markus" show, which continued during Papa's show's regular airtime, suggests the change is imminent. Fans took to the comments section, questioning the station's motives, with one user jokingly suggesting "SILVER gets a day off."

Known for his iconic touchdown calls, Papa's lasting impact extends beyond sports. He played play-by-play for the San Francisco 49ers since 2019, and before that, he covered games for the Oakland Raiders, Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants, and Golden State Warriors. Papa's voice will forever be associated with memorable moments, such as his "TOUCHDOOOOOWN, RAIDERS!" and "TOUCHDOOOOOWN, SAN FRANC-IS-CO!" calls, as well as his famous "Sleepy Floyd is Superman!" during the Warriors' 1991 playoff victory over the Lakers.

The 49ers' temporary replacement announcers stepped in for Papa during his recovery, but the team has not disclosed any broadcast plans for the 2026-27 season. As one of the most beloved voices in Bay Area sports broadcasting, Papa's departure from KNBR leaves a void that may only be filled by the return of his rejuvenated voice once he is fully recovered.