More hardship for Bills as play-by-play voice John Murphy suffers stroke

The field is prepared at Highmark Stadium before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers, Dec. 19, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (Joshua Bessex/AP)

The Buffalo Bills announced Friday that play-by-play voice John Murphy suffered a stroke last weekend. The Bills say Murphy is at home with his family making progress.

News of Murphy’s stroke, though suffered before Monday’s Bills game against the Bengals, becomes public knowledge just days after safety Damar Hamlin underwent cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati.

Murphy did not call the game on Monday. The Bills say Chris Brown continues his interim play-by-play duties on Bills Radio Network while Murphy is absent.

“We look forward to having John back as soon as possible,” the team said.

Murphy has been the voice of the Bills since 2003 when he took over for legendary broadcaster Van Miller. Before doing play-by-play, Murphy sat alongside Miller in the booth as a colour commentator from 1984 to 1989 and from 1994 to 2003.

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