Greg Papa, the storied voice of the San Francisco 49ers and one of Bay Area sports radio’s most recognizable figures, gave his first television interview Thursday since being laid off by KNBR earlier this month. The 63-year-old broadcaster sat down with NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai at his Marin County home and spoke openly about his ongoing battle with cancer and his shock at losing his job during recovery.
“I do not want to die,” Papa told Mathai. “I’m going to fight as hard as I can, fight to stay alive. I have a lot to live for.” His defiance was marked by emotion, with Papa breaking down at times while discussing both his health crisis and the termination of his contract.
Papa was diagnosed with leukemia in July 2025 while vacationing in France. What followed was a harrowing medical ordeal that nearly claimed his life. He underwent a bone marrow transplant, with his younger sister donating stem cells for the procedure. Complications from the transplant led to severe pneumonia, and his lungs collapsed. He spent 78 days in the ICU, spending about five days in an induced coma and on a ventilator.
“I was put on a ventilator. I was intubated. I was in an induced coma for about five days,” Papa recounted to Mathai. “It went from a life-threatening situation for certain to a life-altering one. I’ve made a lot of progress since I’ve been home. I made a lot of progress since late July.”
Despite his recovery, Papa’s situation took a devastating turn in early August. He was laid off from KNBR alongside his midday co-host Greg Silver, ending their “Papa & Silver” show that had run since 2024. The layoffs were part of a broader round of cuts by parent company Cumulus Media as the broadcaster continues restructuring amid severe financial pressures.
Papa said he was completely blindsided. He had been cleared by his hematologist to return to his radio show and had been preparing to do so from home, a prospect he felt was realistic given the nature of the work. When he received the phone call he expected to be about his return to work, instead he was terminated.
“I was fully preparing to return to work. There was never discussion that that would not be the case. And then one day you get a phone call and I thought it was a return-to-work plan,” Papa said. “I was cleared, my hematologist cleared me for the radio show and they went the other way and they chose to terminate my contract. So I went from terminal to terminated. In a short period of time. But I’m also indestructible. On a human level, it’s hard to understand that that could be done to you. But it does happen.”
The decision sparked immediate backlash on social media and drew criticism from Bay Area sports figures. KNBR replaced Papa and Silver with John Lund, who had himself been laid off by the station in November 2024. Lund is returning to host the station’s new solo midday show.
In a statement on August 7, Cumulus Media said it was “not able to comment on the specifics of his departure” but expressed “deep respect and gratitude for everything Greg has given to KNBR, its listeners and its team.” The company added that it is “exploring ways we can bring his voice back to the station.” The statement was widely criticized as insufficient given the circumstances.
Papa has been a defining voice of Bay Area sports for more than four decades. He previously served as the play-by-play announcer for the Warriors, Raiders, Athletics and Giants before joining the 49ers broadcast in 2019. His signature touchdown call—”TOUCHDOWN, SAN-FRAN-CISCO!”—has become iconic in the region.
His contract with the 49ers remains intact, though Papa remained uncertain about when he could return to calling games given the physical demands. He said he hopes to return sometime during the season but acknowledged the challenges of broadcast booth work during recovery.
“The talk show was always something I thought I could return to. Doing games is a different challenge,” he said. “I could do it from my house.”
The timing of Papa’s firing reflects broader turbulence in the broadcast radio industry. Cumulus Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March, seeking to eliminate roughly $600 million in debt. The company cited competition from digital audio and streaming platforms, changes in the advertising market, and declining radio audiences as contributing factors to its financial crisis. This marks the second time in less than a decade that Cumulus has sought bankruptcy protection.
During his interview with Mathai, Papa was asked to deliver one of his famous touchdown calls. His baritone voice still carried the same force and recognition it had for decades, a moment that seemed to energize him despite everything he has endured.
Papa’s medical crisis has created significant financial strain. A GoFundMe campaign was established by the David Benzer Strike Out Fear Foundation to help cover the costs of his lengthy recovery and ongoing treatment needs.
Through it all, Papa struck a tone of resolve. When asked if he was afraid to die, he said, “Honestly, I’m not afraid to die. Right now the goal is to get back into that booth and, you know, bellow out.” The question now is whether KNBR, or another outlet, will give him that chance.