Van Miller Van Miller ( born 1927 ) is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk , New York , where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB calling play - by - play for high school football games . In the 1950s , he moved to Buffalo where he became the chief play - by - play announcer for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network , the official radio broadcasting arm of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League from the team ' s inception as an AFL team in 1960 to 1971 , and again from 1977 to 2003 . At the time of his retirement in 2003 , Miller was the longest - tenured commentator with one team ( 37 years ) in pro football history . Career . On July 30 , 1960 , Van Miller debuted on the air at War Memorial Stadium to call play - by - play for the Bills ' inaugural contest against the Boston Patriots . In his 55 years in the business , Miller has earned legend status in Buffalo by doing everything imaginable behind the microphone . Besides his status as the " Voice of the Bills , " Miller was the sports director for WBEN - TV / WIVB - TV for many years . During that time , he served as a sportscaster , weather reporter , and as host of the local version of " It ' s Academic " and " Beat the Champ " ( a ten - pin bowling show ) , among other shows . He also hosted a popular afternoon program for many years on WBEN radio . Miller has also called Buffalo Braves and Niagara University basketball , Buffalo Bisons baseball , Buffalo Stallions soccer , University at Buffalo football and , in his early years , high school sports . With the exception of a seven - season hiatus from 1971 through 1977 , when the Bills were being carried on rival station WKBW - AM ( and Miller was covering the Buffalo Braves ) , Miller covered the Bills for most of the team ' s existence , including the AFL championship in 1964 and 1965 , and the Super Bowl run of the early 1990s . He shared the booth with color men Stan Barron and ( after Barron ' s passing in the early 1980s ) John Murphy , who succeeded Miller as play - by - play voice in 2004 following Miller ' s retirement . After 43 years and almost 700 games , a now - harsher - voiced but still sharp 76 - year - old Van Miller called his final broadcast for the Bills against the New England Patriots ( the same franchise Buffalo had faced for Miller ' s first broadcast in 1960 ) . The Bills lost 31 - 0 after having beaten the Patriots in the season opener by the same score . Life After Retirement . Miller is now largely retired and lives with his wife , Gloria , in the town of Tonawanda , New York , although he ' s still heard on the air on occasion in guest sports commentary appearances or voicing commercial announcements for some Western New York retail businesses ( notably the Grapevine Restaurant , where he ' s known as " Van the Grapevine Man " ) . The Pro Football Hall of Fame presented him with its Pete Rozelle Radio - Television Award in 2004 . He is an inductee in the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame ( 1998 ) , Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame ( 1999 ) , and the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame ( 2002 ) . Signature calls include : " Fandemonium " – often referring to the celebrations after big Bills wins , and " Do you believe it ? " after an exciting and often game - changing play . Miller also had a custom - made routine he used when being interviewed on radio shows , in which he called a fictional game in which the host of the show carries the ball just short of the end zone only to fumble on the goal line , after which Miller mocked anguish .