Buffalo Radio: John Murphy EXITS 'One Bills Live'

Veteran Buffalo broadcaster John Murphy announced Thursday that his eight-year run on the daily weekday program “One Bills Live” and its predecessors, which is simulcast on Sports WGR 550 AM  and MSG cable, ended with this week’s program.

The Buffalo News reports Murphy will continue being the play-by-play announcer on Buffalo Bills radio broadcasts on the Bills network that airs on WGR and other stations across New York State.

He said the decision to exit “One Bills Live” came as his contract with Pegula Sports and Entertainment was set to expire next month. His "OBL" duties alongside Steve Tasker will be split between Chris Brown and Maddy Glab, who work for the Bills and have filled in as hosts when Murphy was off.

John Murphy

Murphy's "OBL" contract is separate from his play-by-play contract with Entercom Radio, which owns WGR and does year-to-year deals with Murphy with the Bills approval.

"We're excited that he's going to be the play-by-play voice on Entercom," said Mark Preisler, the executive vice president of PSE in charge of broadcasting. "We didn't want to lose him there."

Murphy, 63, said the decision to exit “One Bills Live,” which airs from noon to 3 p.m., was “sort of a mutual one” between him and PSE. Preisler confirmed it, saying they've been talking about it for months.

“This time of the year the show is so slow, I usually take off three weeks this time of year and come back in late June or July and get fired up," said Murphy. "I just thought, 'Why are we doing this?' It was sort of a mutual decision, I guess."

Murphy, who has been part of the Bills game broadcast for 32 years – 16 years as the analyst along Van Miller and 16 years on play-by-play — added he had several reasons for leaving “OBL.”

“I am going to be 64 years old on my next birthday" in March, he said. “The show is challenging, but it can be a bit of a grind. This time of year has always been a grind and this year, especially, with nobody around.”

He also wanted to spend more time with his 11-month-old grandson Cormac, whose parents, Mark Murphy and wife Lexi Lugo, are attorneys in Niagara Falls.

“I just think it would be good to spend more time with him,” said Murphy. “I mean that. They have been housebound and quarantined, and I hope I can help them get through that and hopefully get back to work.”