Longtime Cleveland sports anchor Jim Donovan to retire in June

After 39 years on the job, Jim Donovan, WKYC 3News Cleveland sports anchor, will retire next month.

The station announced the news Thursday on X. They also shared that Donovan’s final broadcast will be June 10.

“Jimmy has had one of the most illustrious careers of any local broadcaster across the country,” WKYC president and general manager Micki Byrnes said, per Dave DeNatale, WKYC.com. “It’s hard to believe he’s really stepping down, but we can all agree he’s accomplished just about every milestone that a sports and news anchor would wish for.”

Donovan, who has been the radio play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Browns since their return to the NFL in 1999, will remain in that role.

In 2023, Donovan announced a leave of absence from the station and the Browns after a leukemia remission. He completed his final radiation treatment at the end of February 2024.

“It’s been an amazing run, and I am so thankful for the support from our viewers, Browns fans, my colleagues and all who have been a part of the journey. I’m looking forward to spending more time with Cheryl and my daughter, Meghan, I haven’t called a Browns Super Bowl win yet, but I’ll continue to call the games this fall so there’s always hope,” Brown said in a statement released by WKYC.

Donovan also spent time as the play-by-play voice of the then-Cleveland Indians from 2006-08 and was part of the NFL on NBC crew from 1987-97. Additionally, he did swimming play-by-play for the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

[WKYC 3News]