Chris Brown to continue calling Buffalo Bills games as John Murphy recovers from stroke

Broadcaster Chris Brown, who co-hosts “One Bills Live” alongside Buffalo Bills legend Steve Tasker, will continue as play-by-play announcer during Bills games to start the 2023 NFL season. Brown will reprise his interim role alongside color analyst and former Bills center Eric Wood for the Bills Radio Network and WGR 550 in John Murphy’s stead.

A joint announcement made late last week by the Bills and WGR 550 revealed that Brown would continue in the radio booth during games while “Murph” — a Buffalo Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame inductee — continues his recovery at home following a stroke in January.

Murphy has been “the voice of the Bills” since longtime play-by-play legend Van Miller retired at the conclusion of the 2003 NFL season. While replacing Miller was never going to be easy, Murphy’s ascension to play-by-play duties in the main chair came naturally thanks to his experience as a Bills analyst with Miller during two stints (1984-1989 / 1994-2003).

Prior to the Buffalo Bills’ Week 17 Monday Night Football matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Chris Brown announced that “Murph” would be unable to call the primetime game due to illness. Soon after, it was revealed that Murphy suffered a stroke the weekend before safety Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest. Reports noted that, following in-hospital medical care — Murphy was recovering at home and making daily progress.

With “Murph” unable to call games to close the Bills’ 2022 NFL season, Brown filled in for the team’s Week 18 game against the New England Patriots, then called play-by-play for both playoff games against the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals.

Now, while John Murphy continues his recovery at home, Chris Brown will open the Bills’ preseason with play-by-play duties for a home affair against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday August 12. Should Murphy’s recovery extend into the regular season, Brown will be on the road to fill in for the team’s Week 1 AFC East slugfest against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New York Jets under the primetime lights of Monday Night Football.

Buffalo Rumblings and all of Bills Mafia continue to wish John Murphy and his family all the best during his recovery.