Legendary Bay Area Broadcaster Laid Off Following Cancer Battle: Report

BAY AREA, CA — Bay Area sports radio is getting a dramatic lineup change as KNBR parts ways with one of its most recognizable announcers, Greg Papa, amid his battle with cancer.

The station announced John Lund will take over the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekday slot, replacing Papa and co-host Greg Silver.

The move comes as Papa — the longtime radio voice of the San Francisco 49ers and one of the Bay Area's most familiar sports broadcasters — continues recovering after battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Earlier this year, Papa underwent a bone marrow transplant and recently announced he is cancer-free.

KNBR will end Papa and Silver's midday radio show and replace the duo with Lund as the solo host of the station's 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekday time slot, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Barrett Media first reported the cancellation, while KNBR had not publicly announced the programming change as Giants pregame coverage began Wednesday morning, according to the Mercury News.

Papa is a longtime Bay Area sports broadcaster and became the radio voice of the San Francisco 49ers after decades as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Oakland Raiders. He has battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia over the past year.

He missed much of the 49ers' 2025 season while undergoing treatment before returning for the regular-season finale, according to SF Gate.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Papa told reporters he spent 78 days in the hospital, including time in intensive care, where he battled pneumonia and suffered two collapsed lungs, according to reports.

Doctors remain uncertain how much of his lung capacity will return. He briefly returned to the hospital on July 20 after experiencing low blood pressure caused by new medication before being released the following day, according to reports.

Financial challenges caused by Papa's health issues inspired a friend to establish a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses not fully covered by insurance, the Chronicle reported.

Despite his lengthy recovery, Papa continued co-hosting his KNBR show with Greg Silver from a home studio while receiving chemotherapy.

Silver joined KNBR's on-air lineup in 2024. He is the son of veteran football reporter Mike Silver, while Derek Papa, Greg Papa's son, also joined the station's lineup after previously working as a producer, according to reports.

Lund returns to KNBR after the station let him go in November 2024. He previously worked at both KNBR and 95.7 The Game.

Papa had said he hopes to return in time for the 49ers' Sept. 10 regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, but it's unclear what his broadcast future holds.