LOCKPORT, N.Y. — It’s been nine months since longtime Bills broadcaster John Murphy suffered a stroke and missed the last four games of the 2022 season as a result.
But Tuesday night, he was back in the spotlight for the first time since.
Murphy, the voice of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network, held a book signing for dozens of fans at Danny Sheehan’s in Lockport for his new book “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories From the Buffalo Bills Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box.”
The Bills play-by-play broadcaster of over two decades not only detailed his experience in the press box and on the Bills’ sidelines in the book, but he also described the day he suffered a stroke the week the Bills faced the Cincinnati Bengals and Damar Hamlin made national headlines for suffering cardiac arrest on the field.
The same week the team made national headlines for one life-threatening incident, a beloved member of the Bills organization was experiencing another.
Murphy did not broadcast the Cincinnati game, the regular-season finale against New England, or either playoff game
“It was devastating to most every Bills fan that Murph had his health issues, and I gotta say, hanging out with him tonight, he looks great,” John Lang, also known as Bills Elvis, told 2 On Your Side at the event. “He really does. He looks fantastic.”
Murphy was not comfortable speaking on camera yet for an interview but did say he was feeling much better.
One Bills Live host Chris Brown has handled broadcast duties for the team since, as Murphy works toward his recovery. As for his return to the booth, that is still uncertain, but he said in his book that he is working towards it and is hopeful he will put the headset on again.