Greg Gumbel, legendary CBS broadcaster, dies at age 78

On By Littum

April 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; CBS announcer Greg Gumbel prior to the 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four national championship game between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Greg Gumbel was a mainstay for CBS Sports. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Greg Gumbel, the popular CBS broadcaster who spent decades on the air covering a wide variety of sports, 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 died peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness as you might expect he would, with stoicism, grace and positivity.

He leaves a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 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 world of sports.

For more than two decades, Gumbel was a fixture on CBS’ coverage of both the NFL and college basketball, always providing a welcoming face in either the broadcast booth or the host’s chair. He retired from NFL coverage in 2022, but continued to handle the college hoss side of the job until this year.

Gumbel walked away from covering the 2024 NCAA Tournament with “family health problems” presented as the cause.

A New Orleans native and baseball player at Loras College, Gumbel sold hospital supplies when his younger brother, Bryant, a legendary journalist and broadcaster in his own right, told him about a weekend sportscaster opening at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. He auditioned and got the job, staying until ESPN came calling in 1981. He worked as a “SportsCenter” anchor in the network’s early days, then found additional stints at MSG Network, CBS and NBC before returning to CBS .

Among Gumbel’s career milestones is being the first black person to call play-by-play in a major American sports championship, after taking the microphone for Super Bowl XXXV in 2001.

There are few popular American sports in which Gumbel had not spent at least some time. In addition to NFL and college basketball, he called MLB games for the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and NBC. He called NBA games for 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, from pioneer to legend, with fans always happy to see him on their televisions.

Gumbel’s sports media peers quickly posted several tributes after news of his death broke, praising both his skills as a broadcaster and his kindness as a person.