Report: Bills Oust Longtime Reporter After New Broadcast Deal

Months after the Buffalo Bills announced significant changes to their game-day radio broadcast, among other alterations to the team’s official programming, another change is on the way.

A report from Tim Graham of The Athletic revealed that the Bills plan to move their game-day broadcast from its longtime home, WGR 550 AM, operated by Audacy, to Cumulus Media-owned stations 97 Rock and 103.3 The Edge, both on the FM dial.

Per Graham’s report, the new plan would keep play-by-play man Chris Brown and booth analyst Eric Wood in their roles, while legendary Bills player Steve Tasker would step in as the team’s new sideline reporter. That would presumably leave current sideline reporter Sal Capaccio out of a job, sparking a firestorm on social media.

The response

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) drops to throw during the fourth quarter of an AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Plenty of fans took to social media to express their displeasure with the Bills expected to move on from Capaccio, who is beloved by many within the fan base.

“Disappointing,” one fan posted to X. “If Sal isn’t on the sideline, I’m not listening.”

Another wrote, “Never really listen to the radio broadcasts at all anymore, but if this means [Capaccio] is out of a job as a sidelines reporter, then that really stinks.”

Capaccio has served in his role with the Bills’ game-day broadcast since 2014, when he took over for former sideline reporter Joe Buscaglia, who is now with The Athletic.

Tasker has previously served as a CBS game analyst and sideline reporter for 21 seasons from 1998 to 2019. He played for the Bills during their prime Super Bowl years in the early 1990s, during which he was a standout special teams player. He has been up for Hall of Fame consideration the past several years.

Broadcast shakeup

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III (4) carries the ball during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Bills announced in February that they would assume the production and distribution of their game-day radio broadcast and daily radio program One Bills Live, which is co-hosted by Brown and Tasker. The announcement marked the end of the relationship between the Bills and their former flagship station, WGR 550 AM, which had been forged since 2012. The station was also the team’s broadcast partner in the early 1990s.

As the Bills are set to open a new stadium in 2026, they will do so with many changes throughout the organization. Former head coach Sean McDermott was fired, leading to new head coach Joe Brady being hired this offseason.

Now, Capaccio, while his reported ousting is not at the same level as that of McDermott’s, will be a noticeable omission from the team’s game-day broadcast moving forward. Sometimes, change is good. I’m not sure this one, inserting Tasker in Capaccio’s place, is a smart move.

Capaccio is about as locked into everything the Bills do as any member of the team’s media beat, while Tasker relies on his former playing experience, which ceased nearly three decades ago. I’m not sure the fans will be as pleased to hear Tasker’s insights during the game as they have been to listen to Capaccio for the past decade-plus.

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