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4w ago

Greg Papa Hospitalized and Planned KNBR Comeback Put on Hold

UCSF is evaluating his worsening cardiomyopathy to decide whether he can resume limited studio roles or game-day duties.

Radio announcer Greg Papa on the sidelines before the San Francisco 49ers played the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. It is Papa's first game back after undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia B-cell which was diagnosed before the season.
Broadcaster Greg Papa looks on before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on Jan. 3, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif.

Overview

  • Greg Papa has been hospitalized since Sept. 7 after his genetic heart condition worsened following a spring bone‑marrow transplant, and UCSF’s Advanced Heart Failure team performed a diagnostic evaluation this week.
  • The on‑air return KNBR announced — a weekday noon show called "Lunch With Papa" plus guest spots on NBC Sports Bay Area — is paused while doctors assess his heart function.
  • Papa’s current crisis follows a longer medical timeline: a cardiomyopathy diagnosis in 2023, a July 2025 B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosis, a spring 2026 transplant, and serious post‑transplant lung and cardiac complications over the summer.
  • KNBR laid Papa off in early August and then arranged a reduced, part‑time comeback after public criticism, but the station and NBC are now scheduling without him for upcoming games including the team’s home broadcast this Sunday.
  • A nonprofit GoFundMe run by the David Benzer Strike Out Fear Foundation is raising money to cover medical costs that reports say are not fully covered by insurance, and the UCSF evaluation will be the key signal for any timetable to return.