Beloved NFL Announcer Back in the Hospital With Advanced Heart Failure at 63

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Greg Papa’s latest update has put his comeback to the booth on hold. The longtime NFL announcer is back in the hospital. The 63-year-old voice of the San Francisco 49ers has been there since Sept. 7 with advanced heart failure.

The San Francisco Standard first reported the stay. A planned pregame return and a new KNBR slot both have to wait.

Greg Papa Explains the Heart Setback in His Own Words

Papa sent a statement after Tuesday’s diagnostic work at UCSF.

“A week after that beautiful night in Novato, I experienced another health setback. My genetic heart condition Cardiomyopathy has greatly worsened due to the bone marrow transplant. The Advanced Heart Failure team at UCSF performed a diagnostic procedure Tuesday morning for a clearer picture of the condition of the heart. All of your love and support has greatly helped us get past the many health obstacles we have faced. Together we will get past the next challenge. Love you all and thank you.”

Doctors first flagged cardiomyopathy in 2023. Leukemia hit in 2025 and was found in his brain and spinal column. A March bone marrow transplant from his sister put the cancer in remission. The aftermath nearly killed him. He spent 78 days at UCSF with pneumonia, two collapsed lungs, a ventilator, and an induced coma.

That history is why this latest admission lands so hard. He had just been a guest at Tim Flannery’s concert in Novato. A week later the heart team needed a clearer picture. The San Francisco Chronicle reported he will not call Sunday’s home game against the Dolphins.

Greg Papa Had Just Cleared a Path Back to the Booth

Oncologists had recently cleared him for 49ers home play-by-play this season. NBC Sports Bay Area had him slated for last week’s Australia opener against the Rams. KNBR, five weeks after a shocking layoff, announced a part-time return with weekday hours and two 49ers shows. None of that happened.

He first stepped away after a cancer diagnosis in the summer of 2025. He still made the 2025 finale. The next climb was supposed to be this September. Heart and lung strain after the transplant changed the calendar again. Guy Haberman filled in for the Melbourne win. The booth at Levi’s will wait until UCSF says the voice can come home.