When it comes to Jim Donovan’s passing, there’s still a lot to unpack for Andrew Siciliano.
The former NFL RedZone host was a guest on the Awful Announcing Podcast this week and tried to put into words the emotions, thoughts and feelings that encapsulated the Cleveland Browns radio booth Sunday. Siciliano officially succeeded Donovan in the broadcast booth to begin the 2024 NFL season, as the pillar of the Browns community tried to focus on his health.
Unfortunately, the 68-year-old Donovan succumbed to his battle with cancer just prior to Cleveland’s Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. And both the team and the broadcasters (Siciliano included, of course) paid tribute to the iconic voice of the Browns in a big way Sunday.
Led by Jameis Winston, the Browns pulled off a massive upset of the Baltimore Ravens at home, winning 29-24. Cleveland clinched the hard-fought victory when Winston hit wide receiver Cedric Tillman on a 38-yard touchdown pass in the game’s waning moments. Lamar Jackson tried to engineer a last-minute comeback for Baltimore but couldn’t get it done.
All that emotion poured through Siciliano and Nathan Zegura’s radio call as the game ended.
“You can’t even write stories this good, folks”
It was an emotional finish in the radio booth for @NathanZegura and @AndrewSiciliano 📻 pic.twitter.com/Ltpe92dCjH
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 27, 2024
And Siciliano tried to put that emotion into words.
“There is a lot to unpack there, and honestly, I think all of us are still kind of unpacking it,” Siciliano told AA podcast host Brandon Contes. “And everyone is still very much in mourning. Jim wasn’t just the voice of the Browns for 25 years; he was a fixture in this community for 40 years. He was the legendary WKYC (Channel 3) anchor here long before he moved into the booth when the Browns came back in ’99.
“So, when you describe someone as a pillar of the community, and not just a conduit to the football team, but someone that everyone who loves sports in this town kind of considers family, it’s gonna take awhile. And that game Sunday, I think, was a start of the mourning and the healing. And it felt damn good for the city and the organization to get a win, but for Jim’s family as well, for his wife, Cheryl, for his daughter, Megan. Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry gave them a game ball very shortly after that game ended.”
“That one was for Jim in so many ways,” Siciliano continued. “Somebody said…it wasn’t just for Jim; it was by Jim. There were so many things in that game that defied description. (Ravens safety) Kyle Hamilton dropping the pick on the play before the go-ahead touchdown by Cedric Tillman in the fourth quarter, or (Ravens wide receiver) Rashod Bateman losing that ball in the sun on that deep shot in the fourth quarter from Lamar.
“Even in the second quarter, Lamar had a deep shot to (Baltimore WR) Zay Flowers where he just missed it by that much. If any of those things happen — one of those things happens — then they don’t win. So, as Nathan said, ‘I don’t know if you believe in divine intervention or not, but it felt like there was something else in play on Sunday.'”
While the healing has just begun, the emotional victory over the Ravens marks a meaningful step forward. For Siciliano and the entire Browns organization, honoring Donovan’s memory will remain a guiding force for the remainder of the season — and beyond.
The Andrew Siciliano episode of the AA podcast will be released on Friday, November 1. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. For more content, subscribe to AA’s YouTube page.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.