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Bills legends congratulate longtime play-by-play announcer on his retirement

Theo

For generations of Western New Yorkers, John Murphy’s voice is synonymous with Buffalo Bills football. He played a crucial role in the team’s game-day radio broadcasts for more than 30 years, serving as the play-by-play man from 2004 to 2022.

The broadcaster officially left his post on Thursday, ending a legendary career that was cut short after the announcer suffered a stroke at the end of the 2022 season. Murphy has since recovered and, according to the site team official, is set to stay with the Bills game day broadcast in a different capacity.

Murphy’s departure brought well-wishes from all of the Buffalo faithful, including players the broadcaster covered throughout his career. The Bills shared a video featuring several former players congratulating Murphy on his retirement on their X account, an emotional farewell for someone whose voice Buffalo fans associate with emotional moments.

Former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, receiver Stevie Johnson, running back Thurman Thomas and special teamer Steve Tasker are the former players featured in the short clip, along with Fitzpatrick, a known Bills fan who attended to Buffalo playoff games as a (chest hair-flaunting) fan – offering a particularly heartfelt see-you-later.

“We’re all still big Bills fans here in Arizona now, but when I think about the soundtrack of my career there, it’s in your voice, and I know there are a lot of legends in Buffalo who feel the same way,” Fitzpatrick said. “Everything you’ve done for the city and Buffalo and for the team, the Bills, has been incredible, and I also really appreciate the friendship we’ve built over the years.”

In what may be an indictment of the team’s previous organizational ineptitude, Fitzpatrick was arguably the best quarterback of Murphy’s tenure as a playmaker before the arrival (and eventual emergence) of Josh Allen; Fitzpatrick played for the Bills from 2009 to 2012, starting 53 games.

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Tasker was also very candid in his segment given his unique personal and professional relationship with Murphy; the two hosted One Bills Live, the team’s daily radio show, between 2018 and 2020.

“Thank you for being a mentor, an example, thank you for being a great colleague, a co-host, thank you for showing me the ropes of being on radio and television every day,” Tasker said . “I can’t thank you enough. I’ve been a broadcaster twice as long as I’ve been a professional footballer, and you’ve been a part of it since the beginning.

The impact Murphy has had on his colleagues and listeners throughout his career is clear; his work was immortalized with his induction into the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2019.

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