The voice of the 49ers and former longtime voice of the Raiders Greg Papa announced Friday that he’s being treated for cancer, and will not be calling 49ers games anytime soon, but hopes to return to the booth.

When longtime Oakland Raiders radio announcer Greg Papa switched to being the San Francisco 49ers radio announcer in 2019 after the Raiders left town, we wondered if his signature “Touchdown, Rrrrraiders!” call would transfer as well to his new call, “Touchdown, San… Fran… Cisco!” And it certainly did, thanks to Papa’s long-established authenticity, charm, and encyclopedic knowledge of sports.

But it seems we will sadly not have that touchdown call this year. Papa announced through (one of his many) current employers KNBR that he has some form of cancer, according to the Chronicle, and he will not be calling 49ers games on the radio at any point in the foreseeable future.

“I have been diagnosed with cancer and am currently undergoing treatment,” Papa announced through KNBR Friday morning. “As I fully focus on my treatment and work toward a full recovery, I'm stepping away from my broadcasts but look forward to returning soon.”

We think of Papa as a 49ers announcer and a Raiders announcer (a role he filled from the Raiders’ return in 1997 until they left again in 2018). But Papa also called games for the SF Giants (2004-08), the Golden State Warriors (1986-1997), and the Oakland A’s (1991-2003). Before he arrived in the Bay Area, he did play-by-play for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers (1984-1986), and briefly took a stint calling games for the San Antonio Spurs (1997-2000). His versatility is just beyond comparison.

Obviously, there are bigger things than sports to worry about for those who’ve loved Greg Papa’s voice and wit over those years. But this announcement does put the 49ers organization in a bind. The news comes just about a week from the 49ers’ preseason opener on Saturday, August 9, and the team currently has no replacement for Papa.

Related: ‘Voice of the Giants' Renel Brooks-Moon is Leaving the Giants' Announcing Booth [SFist]

Image: @49ers via Twitter