Jim Donovan: ‘This is the Browns season I’ve always dreamed about’ – Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND, Ohio – “This season is everything I dreamed of for the Browns when they came back in 1999.”

Those words came from Jim Donovan, who is back in the Browns radio booth after missing several games due to his battle with leukemia. Donovan has been the radio voice of the Browns since the franchise returned.

“I was in town (doing TV sports) during the Bernie Kosar era (in the late 1980s),” he said. “I remember the weeks building up to all those games at the end of the season and the playoffs. It was incredible. This season has that same feel.”

Donovan was calling the game on Dec. 28, 2023, when the Browns beat the Jets, 37-20, to clinch a playoff spot. It has special meaning to Donovan because he wasn’t sure if he’d be healthy enough to do the games late this season. At one point this season, he was in the hospital for three weeks.

The treatments he’s receiving have helped. He was there for the victory over the Jets and a big home win over Pittsburgh. He will be in Houston for Saturday’s 4:30 p.m. wild card game against the Texans.

“As a broadcaster, there are games that you dream about,” he said. “That Jets game was one of those. Given all this team has been through this season – and then they clinch at home with Joe Flacco at quarterback. The fans were going crazy. It’s been an amazing year.”

NEVER SAW IT COMING
Donovon was in the hospital watching the Browns lose 26-22 to Pittsburgh in the second game of the season.

“Nick Chubb (knee injury) goes down in the first half,” said Donovan. “Then Deshaun (Watson) was in and out with his shoulder problem – then done for the year. I was thinking, six or seven wins might be it this season.”

The Browns kept going through quarterbacks after Watson was out.

“I think the turning point was the 49ers game,” said Donovan, “The Browns are ahead, then (the 49ers are) ahead, then the Browns are ahead again. It’s like that all afternoon.”

That game was on Oct. 15 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. San Francisco came to town with a 5-0 record and with many experts calling them the best team in the NFL. The Browns were 2-2. Career backup P.J. Walker was their starting quarterback because Watson was hurt.

“We’re coming to the end of the game,” said Donovan. “The Browns were leading (19-17). The 49ers are driving. They lined for a 41-yard field goal to win it … ”

Donovan felt like many Browns fans at that point.

“I was thinking, ‘The guy will make the field goal, the Browns will lose in the last second,’” he said. “We’ve seen this a million times since 1999. But he missed it. I was stunned … he missed it! I started to think, ‘Maybe this season has a little magic to it.’”

MAGIC MOMENTS
Then the Browns went to Indianapolis for the next game. It came down to a fourth-and-1 play near the goal line.

“They gave the ball to Kareem Hunt,” said Donovan. “In the old days, Hunt doesn’t get in from the 1-yard line. Or they screw up the play and the Browns lose. But Hunt did get in. The Browns did win.”

The final score was 39-38. Watson started the game but left with a shoulder problem after throwing five passes. Walker took over. Somehow, the Browns prevailed.

“It just kept building,” said Donovan.

The Browns won five games in the last two minutes.

“I wasn’t in town for the Kardiac Kids (1980 Browns),” said Donovan. “But it must have been like this.”

THE COACHING STAFF
Because of his role as the Browns radio voice, Donovan has dealt with every Browns head coach since 1999. He does the coach’s show. It’s common for a head coach and the radio broadcaster to develop a close relationship because they talk often.

Kevin Stefanski is in his fourth year as head coach. It’s assumed he’ll be coaching next season – and that will be the longest of any Browns coach since the franchise returned in 1999. Romeo Crennel (2005-08) was the only other Browns coach to survive four years during the new Browns era.

“Kevin is a tremendous guy,” said Donovan. “He’d text me to see how I was doing during the whole (hospital) thing. He was genuine. He was checking on me, not wanting to know, ‘When will you be back?’ He kept telling me to hang there, keep fighting. That meant so much to me.”

Donovan also believes Stefanski grew as a coach this season because he dealt with so much – including winning games with four different starting quarterbacks.

“I know a lot of people were on this storyline of, ‘He should give up the play calling and be a CEO head coach,’” said Donovan. “I’ve always enjoyed what he’s done with the team’s offense. He’s also very comfortable being the head of this team. Look how his message of being 1-0 each week has caught on with the players. He’s connecting with them and they went 1-0 in 11 different games this season.”

This is also the fourth season for GM Andrew Berry.

“Stability has been so important,” said Donovan. “It’s been a great ingredient in terms of the locker room. The players know this is our coach. They know this is our position coach, and this is the system we run and how we do things.”

The hiring of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and special teams coach Bubba Ventrone has made a major impact on the team.

“They’ve come up big,” said Donovan. “Kevin allows his staff to be great. That comes with being comfortable in your own shoes. Kevin is that. We’ve seen so many guys (coaches) come in for a cup of coffee, and then leave. This is a great situation now.”