Greg Papa’s voice has been well-known to Bay Area sports fans for more than three decades.
But he will reach a new audience this year as the 49ers’ radio play-by-play man after previously working broadcasts of the Raiders, Warriors, Giants and Athletics.
“What comes out of my lips is going to be unchanged. It’s just going to be how people take it in their ears that is going to be different,” Papa said on Wednesday, shortly after the 49ers announced he will replace Ted Robinson on the team’s radio broadcasts.
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“I’m sure there are a lot of 49ers fans that did not hear me do any Raiders games that are going to hear me for the first time or hear me in a different way or have a judgment of me based on my time with the Raiders.”
Papa said he never envisioned working for the 49ers while he was entrenched as the Raiders play-by-play man from 1997 through the 2017 season. Raiders owner Mark Davis abruptly removed Papa from the broadcast booth in July, replacing him with veteran broadcaster Brent Musburger.
Papa became known for delivering his enthusiastic, elongated scoring call of “Touchdooooowwwwnnn, Rrrrrrrrraiders!” It started out as a tribute to longtime Raiders broadcaster Bill King, he said, before morphing over time into a call that was distinctly his own.
Of course, Papa has given plenty of thought on how to punctuate 49ers touchdowns. But he has no answer, yet.
San Francisco 49ers
“It’s just going to happen organically and I’ll figure it out like I always have,” Papa said.
Papa spent this season associated with the 49ers as the host of 49ers Pregame Live and 49ers Postgame Live on NBC Sports Bay Area. His time around the team -- and around the team's fan base -- proved to be integral in his transition to become the radio play-by-play man, beginning in the 2019 season.
“I could not think of one reason not to take it, except how would their fan base react to me?” Papa said.
Papa was in the midst of 49ers fans at Levi’s Stadium for home games this season in his role as host, alongside analysts Jeff Garcia and Donte Whitner.
What he saw and heard from 49ers fans led him to believe his history with the Raiders would not create any problems.
“The feedback I got from their fans – I guess our fans now – was overwhelmingly positive,” Papa said. “Because of the Raiders-49ers rivalry, I wasn’t always sure of that. So I think the way it played out, where this year I did not do the Raiders games and I was able to have a role with the 49ers and interact with their fans, there was a point in the season where I thought this would not be an issue.”
Papa’s relationship with the Raiders began to sour in 2015 after he voiced his criticism on his radio show on 95.7 The Game of Davis’ decision to interview Mike Shanahan for the Raiders’ head-coaching opening.
Papa was a confidante of the late Al Davis, Mark’s father. Papa could not believe Mark Davis would even consider Shanahan for the job. Davis fired Shanahan as head coach of the Raiders in 1989 after just 20 games, and the two men continued to be enemies while Shanahan coached the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.
“It had nothing to do with Mike’s ability as a coach,” Papa said. “It was specifically the relationship, the no-relationship, the hatred, that Al Davis had toward Mike Shanahan. I found it unconscionable to interview him to coach the Raiders again.”
Papa said he has not spoken to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Mike’s son. Papa said he has nothing personal against Mike Shanahan.
“In fact, I said at the time, ‘Mike Shanahan can coach 31 other teams in the NFL,’ “ Papa said. “He can’t coach the Raiders, just because of the venom that Al Davis had for Mike Shanahan. With how close I was to Al, I knew all about that.
“Everybody connected with the team knew all about it. It was just a violation, I felt. There were some things I rolled with, and that was one that I could not.”
Papa said he will make some adjustments to his broadcast style as he works alongside analyst Tim Ryan. But he will continue to offer fair and honest commentary on what he sees on the field.
“The one thing is word choice,” he said. “I’m honest, and I’m well-researched, and I have a reason for stating my opinions. I don’t call players, ‘stupid’ or ‘dumb.’ Word choice is critical. And you have to understand why things are done the way they’re done. I’m going to be exactly how I’ve been.”
Papa has yet to speak directly to Ryan about forming their new broadcast team. He said Ryan is at the top of the list of why this job was attractive to him. Papa said he learned a lot about football from listening to Ryan and Pat Kirwan on their ground-breaking show on NFL Radio.
“I could remember sitting in my car being late for dinners or movies because I wanted to hear them wrap up a segment,” Papa said. “They were fantastic together, talking about the detail of the game. There wasn’t anybody at that time doing that on radio or TV.”
That education continued this season. Papa watched every home game from the press box at Levi’s Stadium and listened to Ryan and Robinson describe the action.
“Once we all get settled in here, I’m going to sit down with him with a legal pad and I’m going to take notes on his thoughts on every single player on the team.” Papa said of Ryan. “I have my own thoughts on them from watching them from afar. But there are things I need to know about them specifically, and he’s fabulous at that.
“I think he’s going to have to adjust a little to work with me and my style. But even more so, I’m going to have to adjust to work with him. My goal is for it to be the best broadcast booth in all the NFL. He’s that good of an analyst. And if I do my job, it’s not just describing it to the audience, it’s allowing him to have the room to do what he does and to articulate all his knowledge.”