Greg Gumbel, a popular CBS broadcaster who covered numerous sports on the air for decades, died Friday. He was 78 years old.
His family revealed in a statement to CBS News that he died after a battle with cancer.
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by so much love after a brave battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness with the stoicism, grace, and positivity one would expect.
He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication during his more than 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry. And his iconic voice will never be forgotten.
Greg’s memory will be forever cherished by his family, dear friends, colleagues and all who loved him. — Marcy and Michelle Gumbel
CBS Sports also released a statement praising Gumbel’s impact on the sports world.
Gumbel was a fixture on both CBS’ NFL and college basketball coverage for more than 20 years, always providing a welcoming face in the broadcast booth or in the studio host’s chair. He retired from covering the NFL in 2022, but continued to work in college hoops until this year.
Gumbel has resigned from covering the 2024 NCAA Tournament, citing “family health issues” as the reason.
Gumbel, a New Orleans native and baseball player at Loras College, was selling hospital supplies when his brother Bryant, a legendary journalist and broadcaster, approached him about opening as a weekend sportscaster on Chicago’s WMAQ TV. I was informed. He auditioned, got the job, and stayed there until 1981 when ESPN called him up. He worked as a “SportsCenter” anchor in the network’s early years, then found further stints at MSG Network, CBS, and NBC before returning to CBS.
One of Gumbel’s career milestones was when he took the microphone for Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, becoming the first African-American to provide play-by-play for a major American sports championship.
There are few popular American sports that Gumbel hasn’t played at least some time in. In addition to NFL and college basketball, he has called MLB games for the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and NBC. He called NBA games on ESPN, NBC, and CBS. He competed in the Winter Olympics, NASCAR, and the World Figure Skating Championships.
It was the kind of career every young sportscaster dreams of, and his rise from pioneer to legend, with fans always happy to see him on television.
Tributes pour in for Greg Gumbel
After news of Gumbel’s death broke, his sports media colleagues quickly posted several tributes, praising his skill as a broadcaster and his kindness as a human being.
I am very sad to hear of Greg Gumbel’s passing. Whether hosting a game or calling a game, Greg worked with passion and poise and made it look easy. One of the best works ever pic.twitter.com/PqV2gj4wma
— Trey Wingo (@wingoz) December 27, 2024
Greg was incredibly kind to me and everyone at CBS Sports. He loved his family, sports, and live music. He was as friendly as he was on TV…damn cancer sucks https://t.co/mt6ybwX7uy
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) December 27, 2024
Rest in peace Greg Gumbel, who has been a college basketball host for as long as I can remember. When I think of Selection Sunday and the CBS College Basketball studio show, he’s always the first one that comes to mind, and his understated claims to greatness. I was 78 years old pic.twitter.com/7HAivT1QuL
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 27, 2024
