Howard Simon of WGR 550 stepping down in March

Editor’s note: Per Howard Simon — in an appearance with The Sports Bar on The Fan Rochester AM 950 on Thursday, February 15 — he isn’t retiring, instead simply calling it a career as an on-air sport talk-show host.

Longtime on-air personality and sports talk show host Howard Simon of WGR 550 Sports announced he’s retiring on March 3, after more than 33 years in radio. Simon shared the news on Tuesday in an online letter, looking back on his career and thanking those who’ve been a part of his success as co-workers, friends, and more.

Simon got his start in the sports radio business in 1989 with WJJL Radio in Niagara Falls, NY. While not a native Western New Yorker, Simon adopted the region as his own and remained a mainstay on the official voice of the Buffalo Bills for over three decades.

His voice has long been a welcoming constant for Buffalo-centric sports talk radio for early morning weekday commutes and beyond. As Simon mentions:

“I’ve been around some amazing stories over the years. The Buffalo Bills’ four-straight Super Bowl seasons, a Buffalo Sabres Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1999, NCAA Tournament berths for each of the Big 4 schools, Buffalo Bandits championships, and even a Buffalo Bisons championship.”

Through it all, Simon has employed a professionally charismatic approach to sports talk radio while remaining fully in-tune with the teams we all love so much. Unfortunately, his work never found him able to discuss a Super Bowl victory or Stanley Cup winner. But in those losses, Simon’s reverence among the fanbase was perhaps sewn into sports history as a familiar and leading voice among those on a quest for an ever-elusive Championship.

An institution for sports talk radio in Buffalo and beyond, Howard Simon’s retirement brings substantial change to WGR 550’s morning on-air personalities, given that Jeremy White has served as co-host with him for the last 18 years. Nearly two decades together has allowed the pair to establish a devoted following, and Simon’s on-air presence will be missed, especially by this author.

Thank you for sharing your voice and career with all of us — congratulations, Howard!