Longtime CBS sportscaster Greg Gumbel has died of cancer, his family announced Friday. He was 78 years old.
Gumbel, a play-by-play announcer and studio host who previously worked for NBC Sports, “passed away peacefully surrounded by so much love after a courageous battle with cancer,” his family announced on CBS Sports. said in a statement.
The statement was signed by his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle.
“Greg approached his illness as one would expect, with stoicism, grace and positivity,” the statement said. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication for more than 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry.”
Gumbel, the older brother of former TODAY co-host Bryant Gumbel, started working at CBS Sports in 1989. He left in 1994 to work for NBC Sports and returned to CBS in 1998.
He called two Super Bowls and hosted the NCAA “March Madness” tournament for many years.
CBS Sports reported that Gumbel will celebrate his 50th anniversary on the air in 2022.
David Berson, the network’s president and CEO, called him a “great broadcaster and talent who led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers in history.” “He was a certain storyteller,” he recalled.
“Greg broke down barriers and set a standard for others to follow,” he said. “This is a very sad day for all of us at CBS Sports and the entire sports community. We deeply miss Greg and send our deepest sympathies to his wife Marcy, daughter Michelle, and his entire family. ”
Correction (Dec. 27, 2024, 8:15 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article swapped the names of Gumbel’s wife and daughter. His wife is Marcy and his daughter is Michelle, not the other way around.
