CLEVELAND — For the first time since 1984, the Cleveland Browns’ radio booth will sound different next season with color analyst Doug Dieken announcing that he will retire at season’s end.
Dieken will call his final game on Sunday when the Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium in their 2021 season finale.
“It’s been a great ride” Dieken said in a statement. "I want to thank the Browns’ fans for accepting me first as a player and then as a broadcaster. I’ve had the most fantastic teammates on the field, in the radio booth, and in the community to make the last 50 years fun. We didn’t get the wins we all hoped for, but I feel like I’m leaving a winner because of my association with the organization and the great fans who listen to our broadcasts.”
The 72-year-old Dieken has been linked to Cleveland since 1971, when the Browns selected the Illinois tight end in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. After converting to offensive tackle, Dieken went on to spend 14 seasons playing in Cleveland, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1980 and later being selected to the Browns’ Legends in 2006. He also set franchise records with 194 consecutive starts – the most ever for an NFL left tackle – and 203 consecutive games played, in addition to winning the NFL Man of the Year Award following the 1982 season.
Following his retirement in 1984, Dieken spent time working a color commentator on Browns radio broadcasts alongside Nev Chandler and Jim Mueller (1985-1993) and Casey Coleman (1994-1995). When the Browns returned as a franchise in 1999, he resumed his role as the team’s radio color commentator, working alongside WKYC sports anchor Jim Donovan. The two have remained a team since then, with their undeniable on-air chemistry having been a bright spot for Cleveland fans.
In addition to his radio broadcasting duties, Dieken has also served as an analyst on several Browns’ related television shows. In his time as a broadcaster, the Streator, Illinois, native has earned the following honors:
- 1992 Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame inductee
- 2003 Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee
- 2012 Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Lifetime Achievement Award
The Browns say that they will "embark on a search to fill Dieken’s seat next to Donovan during the offseason."