Famed CBS Sports anchor and commentator Greg Gumbel has died at the age of 78.
His family confirmed the news in a statement on Friday, saying:
It is with great sadness that we announce 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 just as one would expect, with nonchalance, grace, and positivity.
He leaves a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication for over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry; And his iconic voice will never be forgotten.
Greg's memory will always be cherished by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and everyone who loved him. -Marci and Michelle Gumbel
Gumbel served as play-by-play announcer and studio host CBS Sportsand previously broadcast for NBC Sports for years. He won a legion of fans with his work hosting “The NFL Today” and coverage of multiple Super Bowls and Olympic games.
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In 2022, they celebrated their 50th year of broadcasting.
David said, “The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a better gentleman in the entire world of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor of calling him a friend and colleague.” ” Burson, Chairman and CEO of CBS Sports.
“A tremendous broadcaster and talented storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and unprecedented sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcomed voice to fans of many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, known as the Super Bowl. And the Final Four,” Burson 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. We will miss Greg very much, and our condolences to his wife Marcy, daughter Michelle Deepest condolences to his entire family.”
Gumbel was born on May 3, 1946 in New Orleans and grew up in Chicago. He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1967.
Gumbel joined CBS Sports in 1989 after years of hosting and play-by-play duties covering New York Knicks basketball and New York Yankees baseball as well as three other weekly MSGN programs for the Madison Square Garden network, which earned him a local Emmy Award. He has also worked for ESPN, WMAQ-TV Chicago, where he won two local Emmy Awards, and WFAN radio in New York City.
At CBS Sports, he hosted the network's NFL pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show “The NFL Today” from 1990–93 and 2004–05, including Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, and Are. Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
He served as primetime anchor of CBS Sports' coverage of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games and co-anchor of the network's weekday morning broadcast of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games.
Gumbel also served as host of the network's “Speedweeks” coverage from Daytona International Speedway in 1999, as well as host and play-by-play announcer for the College World Series. His other roles include play-by-play announcer for regular-season and post-season Major League Baseball, host of the 1990 All-Star Game at Chicago's Wrigley Field, and college football broadcasts for CBS Sports.
In 1994, he remained at NBC Sports for several years and served as host of “The NFL on NBC” pre-game show and NBC's Super Bowl pre-game show in 1996 and 1998. He hosted the pre-game show for the 1994 Major. Was the play-by-play announcer for the League Baseball All-Star Game and on NBC's “Baseball Night in America.” Gumbel also served as the play-by-play announcer for “The NBA on NBC”. He was the host of NBC's daytime coverage of the 1995 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta.
Gumbel returned to CBS Sports in 1998 as host and play-by-play announcer for college basketball and “The NFL on CBS.” He teamed with analyst Phil Simms for six seasons to create the CBS Television Network's flagship NFL announcing team. He called CBS's coverage of Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII, making him the first network broadcaster to call play-by-play and host a Super Bowl.
Gumbel hosted “The NFL Today” for two seasons in 2004 and 2005, before returning to the booth with Dan Dierdorf for eight seasons until 2013. He hosted “Inside the NFL” with analyst Phil Simms in 2014 on Showtime. ” 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 College World Series championship games.
Gumbel was the recipient of the 2007 Pat Summerall Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting.
Outside the studio, Gumbel was a supporter of the March of Dimes for decades, serving two six-year terms as a member of the March of Dimes Board of Trustees and an additional 18 years as a member of the organization's National Board of Advisors. For 16 years, Gumbel was also a member of the Sports Council for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, providing direction and guidance for that organization's mission.
He also served as a member of the Board of Regents for his alma mater, Loras College, since 2009.