KNBR is bringing Greg Papa back less than six weeks after cutting him loose, a reversal that lands with extra force given the backlash around his layoff and the health battle he’s been fighting.
Cumulus announced Thursday that Papa will return to the station in a hybrid host-featured guest role after seven years at KNBR. The news broke on air during afternoon host Adam Copeland’s 49ers Roundtable, where seven hosts were previewing the upcoming NFL season.
The in-person crowd at Almanac Beer Company’s Alameda taproom responded with applause. Copeland said Papa couldn’t make it on the air Thursday because of a “scheduling conflict”.
Papa’s new setup will put him on the daily midday show for an hour alongside John Lund, while also making him a regular guest on the morning and afternoon shows. That part of the story has a neat little twist of its own: Papa was laid off from the midday program he co-hosted with Greg Silver, and Lund - his replacement - had been laid off by KNBR in 2024 before landing back at the station.
The turnaround comes after a rough public stretch for Cumulus. KNBR drew heavy criticism around the Bay Area and across the sports world when it let Papa go, including from employees on its own airwaves. Two days after the layoff became public, the company issued a rare Friday-night statement that tried to smooth things over.
“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,” the statement, which was not attributed to any person, read. “We are continuing to explore ways we can bring his voice back to the station, and we wish Greg strength, healing, and a full recovery.”
Papa had already been away from KNBR airwaves for much of 2026 because of serious health issues. Last summer, he stepped away from both the station and his 49ers radio play-by-play job after announcing he had leukemia.
He later had a successful bone marrow transplant this spring, but the recovery was far from smooth: he was hospitalized twice after the procedure, and the second stay stretched 78 days after his lungs collapsed. In recent weeks, though, his recovery accelerated enough to leave him stunned by the layoff, telling NBC Bay Area that he “went from terminal to terminated.”
Since being pushed out by KNBR, Papa has started to reappear elsewhere. He’s taken on more work with NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers coverage and has been showing up more often on NBC Bay Area’s weekly football programs this fall.
He told SFGATE he wasn’t sure how often he’d be able to handle a full 49ers game broadcast, but said he wants back in the booth if his health allows it. He also said daily radio work wouldn’t be a problem, especially if he could do it remotely from his East Bay home - which is exactly what this new arrangement now gives him.
The speed of the move is what makes it so jarring. KNBR has certainly brought back familiar names before; Lund and Papa both returned after recent layoffs, and Larry Krueger is on his third separate run at “The Sports Leader” as a part-time host and guest centered on the 49ers.
But even by those standards, Papa’s return is in a different category. His time from fired to rehired will end up being just 36 days.
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