Greg Papa Set to Return to 49ers Radio Booth Amid Cancer Battle: “I’m Strong Enough to Do This”
The voice of the 49ers is coming back - and not just in spirit.
Greg Papa, the longtime Bay Area broadcasting icon and current KNBR midday host, is making an early and inspiring return to the 49ers’ radio broadcast team as he continues his fight against cancer. Papa, who was diagnosed with leukemia in mid-July, will be back on the mic for the December 28 matchup against the Bears and again for the regular-season finale against the Seahawks. He’ll reunite with his longtime color analyst Tim Ryan, bringing back a familiar rhythm to the 49ers’ airwaves.
The announcement came with some flair - and a touch of football humor - on Wednesday’s “Papa & Lund” show. Bob Sargent, the 49ers’ director of broadcast partnerships, joined the program to deliver the news in the form of a playful “transaction” update.
“I’ve just completed paperwork with the league, and we have officially activated Greg Papa off the NFI list,” Sargent said. “So his 21-day practice window has officially been opened.”
That light-hearted setup carried weight. Papa’s road back has been anything but easy.
After his diagnosis in July, he stepped away from both KNBR and his 49ers duties, missing training camp and the bulk of the regular season. At the time, his son and fellow KNBR host Derek Papa said it was unlikely his father would return to the booth at all this year.
But Papa, never one to shy away from a challenge, began a gradual return. He rejoined KNBR’s midday show on September 16, broadcasting four hours a day while still undergoing treatment. He even contributed some 49ers content remotely, but the game-day booth remained out of reach - until now.
On Wednesday, Papa addressed listeners with one of his signature monologues, sharing that recent tests at UCSF show his cancer is in remission.
“I’m healthy,” he said. “I could not go through all the people at UCSF, where I was yesterday, that have basically saved my life and put me on a course to live my life again, as normal as I can.”
Papa made it clear that while he’s not declaring victory just yet - in his words, he’s “not running victory formation” - he hasn’t had chemotherapy in two months and is awaiting clearance for a bone marrow transplant. In the meantime, he feels ready - physically, mentally, and emotionally - to get back to doing what he loves.
“I’m strong enough to do this,” he said. “I’m strong enough mentally and physically to sit and prepare ... that takes hours [for me] to prepare, and I think I can do that in addition to doing the show four hours a day.”
That kind of preparation is vintage Papa. Anyone who’s followed his career knows he’s not the type to show up and wing it - his broadcasts are built on hours of study, storytelling, and a deep understanding of the game. His return isn’t just symbolic - it’s a return to form for one of the league’s most respected radio voices.
KNBR program director Mike Hohler, who also produces the 49ers’ radio broadcasts, confirmed that Guy Haberman - who’s handled the bulk of play-by-play duties this season - will remain involved with the team’s coverage moving forward. It’s a nod to the depth the team has built in Papa’s absence, but also a testament to how much his presence still matters.
And while Papa has been cleared to travel for potential playoff games, he’s got his eye on a different kind of dream scenario: the 49ers locking up the No. 1 seed in the NFC and playing every game at Levi’s Stadium, all the way through Super Bowl LX.
That dream starts with his return against the Bears - a game that already carried playoff implications, but now carries something more.
“In order for it to be really lit, the way we like it, we need our man in the seat that we’ve kept very, very warm for him,” Sargent said.
The seat’s still warm. The mic is waiting. And Greg Papa is ready to call football again.