John Murphy, the enduring “Voice of the Buffalo Bills,” has decided to step down from his role as the team’s play-by-play announcer, ending a remarkable 35-year run on the Bills’ radio broadcast. Murphy, a native of Lockport, NY, has served as a prominent figure in the booth, spending 16 years as a color analyst between 1984 and 2003, and 19 years as the primary play-by-play announcer from 2004 to 2022. While he’s stepping away from the main role, he hasn’t ruled out contributing to game day broadcasts in a different capacity.
In a statement about Murphy’s departure, Bills owner Terry Pegula noted, “John’s love and enthusiasm for the Bills and Western New York has been evident for the past 30-plus years in the booth. We will all miss his great calls and passion as the play-by-play announcer. We continue to wish him and his family all the best during his recovery and hope that he can remain a part of our organization in the future.”
During an interview with Susan Rose of WBEN, Murphy revealed that he feels ready to start a new chapter in his life. “I’ll miss it a great deal,” he said. “I’ll miss the people more than anything.” Murphy also mentioned that he and his wife, Mary, agreed that now was the right time for him to step back, and that he’s at peace with the decision. “Yeah, I am,” Murphy said. “I made [the decision] in the last month or so.”
Over his three-decade career, Murphy became an ambassador for both the Bills and the city of Buffalo. His voice was synonymous with many iconic moments in Bills history. As head coach Sean McDermott put it, “Murph, congratulations on a tremendous career. It’s been such an honor to serve with you. You’re one of the best to ever do it.” General Manager Brandon Beane added, “You’ll always be a Buffalo legend, big in the community, and big with the Buffalo Bills.”
Murphy’s accolades include his induction into the Buffalo Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Dick Gallagher Legacy Award from the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 for his contributions to the Buffalo community and local amateur sports.
Reflecting on his work with Murphy, Bills legend Steve Tasker commented, “I’ve known John for three decades before we ever worked together. And he’s been a staple in Buffalo broadcasting as long as I’ve been in Buffalo.” He added that Murphy’s coverage of Tasker’s football career was integral to him being considered for the Hall of Fame. “John Murphy is the first guy to ever use my name in conjunction with the Hall of Fame,” Tasker said.
Murphy’s legacy extends to the literary world, too. In 2023, he co-authored a book with Scott Pitoniak titled *If These Walls Could Talk: Buffalo Bills*, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the team’s history. Before the book’s release, Murphy asked Bills legend and current Bills radio color analyst Eric Wood to write the foreword. Wood, who started working with Murphy on the Bills radio broadcast in 2019, expressed admiration for his colleague, saying, “His love for Western New York, the Buffalo area as well as the team is amazing. He grew up going to Bills games, which has allowed him to write a book on the history of the Bills. And then he combines all of that into what makes him an incredible broadcaster.”
