Greg Gumbel, the famous CBS Sports anchor and commentator, has died at the age of 78.
His family confirmed the news in a statement on Friday, saying:
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness as one would expect, with stoicism, grace and positivity.
He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication spanning more than 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten.
Greg’s memory will forever be remembered by his family, his dearest friends, his colleagues and all those who loved him. —Marcy and Michelle Gumbel
Gumbel served as play-by-play announcer and studio host for CBS Sportsand has already spent several years on the air for NBC Sports. He has won legions of fans with his hosting work ranging from “The NFL Today” to several Super Bowls and Olympic Games.
In 2022, it celebrates its 50th anniversary on the air.
Mary Kouw/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved
“The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was loved and respected by those of us who had the honor of call a friend and colleague,” David said. Berson, chairman and CEO of CBS Sports.
“A formidable broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice to fans of many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four,” Berson said.
“Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow. This is an extremely sad day for all of us at CBS Sports and the entire sports community. Greg will be greatly missed and we send our deepest condolences to his wife Marcy and his daughter Michelle, and his entire family.”
Gumbel was born in New Orleans on May 3, 1946 and raised in Chicago. He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1967. His younger brother, Bryant Gumbelalso rose to fame in broadcasting as host of the “Today” show on NBC and “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” on HBO.
Greg Gumbel joined CBS Sports in 1989 after years of hosting and playing New York Knicks basketball and New York Yankees baseball for the Madison Square Garden Network, as well as other MSGN programs, this which earned him a local Emmy Award. He also worked for ESPN, WMAQ-TV Chicago, where he won two local Emmys, and WFAN Radio in New York.
At CBS Sports, he hosted “The NFL Today,” the NFL’s pregame, halftime and postgame studio show, from 1990 to 1993 and 2004 to 2005, Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 and Super Bowl Bowl 50 in 2016.
He was prime-time anchor of CBS Sports’ coverage of the 1994 Winter Olympics and co-anchor of the network’s weekday morning broadcasts of the 1992 Winter Olympics.
He also served as play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball’s regular season and playoffs, host of the 1990 MLB All-Star Game, college football broadcasts for CBS Sports, and play-by host and announcer -play for college. World Series for several years.
“He was truly one of the greats. He just had a light touch, he had wit and everyone loved working with him,” said Lesley Visserhis longtime colleague at CBS Sports.
“Greg had an innate dignity that he brought to the table,” she told CBS News in an interview Friday.
In 1994, Gumbel went to NBC Sports for four years, serving as host of “The NFL on NBC” pregame show and NBC’s Super Bowl pregame shows in 1996 and 1998 .
AP Photo/Ron Heflin
He hosted the pregame show for the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and was a play-by-play announcer on NBC’s “Baseball Night in America.” Gumbel also served as a play-by-play announcer for “The NBA on NBC” and hosted NBC’s daytime coverage of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Gumbel returned to CBS Sports in 1998 as a host and play-by-play announcer for college basketball and “The NFL on CBS”, where he teamed for six seasons with analyst Phil Simms. He called CBS’s coverage of Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII, making him the first network broadcaster to call play-by-play and call a Super Bowl.
Gumbel hosted “The NFL Today” for two seasons before returning to the booth to team with Dan Dierdorf for eight seasons, until 2013. He was the host of “Inside the NFL” on SHOWTIME in 2014 alongside the analysts Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Ed. Reed and Brandon Marshall. At CBS, Gumbel also provided play-by-play for regular season college basketball and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NBA regular season and playoff games and the championship games of the College World Series.
“The news of Greg Gumbel’s passing is simply heartbreaking,” said sportscaster Ernie Johnson, host of “Inside the NBA.” wrote in a post on social media. “It was an honor to share the March Madness office with him. A professional and gentleman of the highest order.”
Gumbel received the 2007 Pat Summerall Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting.
“Greg Gumbel didn’t care about fame at all,” Visser said. “He cared about the people he worked with and the work he did.”
Basketball icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson also paid tribute, writing in a post on: “I am saddened to learn of the passing of legendary broadcaster and longtime friend Greg Gumbel. Greg was an African-American pioneer.”
Outside of the studio, Gumbel was a longtime supporter of the March of Dimes, serving two six-year terms as a March of Dimes board member and an additional 18 years as a board member. national advisory board of the organization. For 16 years, he also served as a member of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Athletic Council, which provides direction and guidance for that organization’s mission.
He has also been a member of the Board of Regents of his alma mater, Loras College, since 2009.