Greg Papa’s battle with leukemia has brought an unexpected bright spot: a repaired relationship with Raiders owner Mark Davis, and a promise that Papa says has become a daily source of motivation.
Papa, now the radio play-by-play voice of the 49ers, spoke Thursday from a hospital rehab room with Raider Nation Radio host “JT the Brick” as the 49ers and Raiders get ready to meet this weekend. He said the turnaround with Davis came after he was diagnosed with leukemia in July 0f 2025, following years in which his connection with the Raiders had badly frayed after he left the team in 2019.
According to Papa, Davis was among the first people to reach out after the diagnosis became public. That call, he said, changed everything.
“The one major relationship we were able to repair was Mark Davis reaching out to me virtually minutes after I was diagnosed and the world knew that I had acute lymphoblastic leukemia with negative B cell,” Papa said on the JT The Brick Show.
Papa said Davis didn’t stop there. The Raiders owner invited him to come to Vegas when he is ready to light the torch in honor of Al Davis, and that gesture has stuck with him through the fight.
“Mark called me immediately and we’ve had so many great exchanges and he invited me to come to Vegas whenever I’m ready to light that torch in honor of Al, and it’s something that drives me every day to get well enough… It’s been beautiful. Him welcoming me back. Inviting me to Vegas to light that torch and that is something that drives me every day to get better.”
Papa spent 21 years as the voice of the Raiders, and for plenty of fans, he still is the voice of the franchise. His “Touchdown Raaiiderrrs!” call became part of the team’s soundtrack, and it has been missed since his departure in 2019.
The relationship between Papa and Davis is clearly in a better place now, and the idea of Papa one day making it to Allegiant Stadium to light the torch in Al Davis’ honor would be a memorable moment for the organization and its fans.
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