Longtime Voice Of Cleveland Browns Added To 2024 Legends Class

The Browns will induct the 2024 class of Browns Legends during their Week 3 matchup with the New York Giants

Jan 9, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns radio color analyst Doug Dieken (left) is presented with a plaque by radio play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan for the radio booth dedication for his retirement from announcing Cleveland Browns football games during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns fans already had plenty to celebrate when the team announced earlier this summer that Phil Dawson was slated to be inducted as a Browns Legend against the New York Giants this weekend. Now, another franchise icon is joining the 2024 class.

On Thursday, the Browns revealed that longtime voice of the team Jim Donovan would also be joining Dawson as a Cleveland Browns legend inductee. The news comes just a few weeks removed from Donovan announcing his retirement from Cleveland's radio booth while he focuses on his battle with cancer.

Donovan has been the play-by-play voice of the Browns since the beloved franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999. Painting a picture over the radio of the most iconic and memorable moments over the last 20-plus years.

Making the situation even more meaningful is the fact that Dawson considered Donovan a close friend since his playing days with the Browns, and revealed on Thursday that he had the honor of calling Donovan to let him in on the news.

Like Donovan, Dawson's tenure with the Browns began in 1999 as rookie for the franchise. They're paths were intertwined from that point forward, as Dawson spent the first 14 years of his career in Cleveland.

Cancer has unfortunately been an ongoing hurdle throughout Donovan's career. His first bout with leukemia struck in 2011 as he took a leave of absence from his post at Channel 3 WKYC to undergo a bone marrow transplant. He was able to return to the booth in time for the Browns season opener on Sept. 11 of that year.

In May of 2023, Donovan announced that the cancer had relapsed and that he'd once again be undergoing intense treatment that would keep him away for some time. After calling the Browns season opener last fall he then announced he'd be stepping away for a number of games to receive treatments for the leukemia. He returned in Week 11 to finish out the season in the booth for Cleveland, helping call the team's memorable run to the playoffs last December.

The duo of Dawson and Donovan will be honored prior to kickoff between the Browns and Giants on Sunday.