Greg Gumbel, Legendary Sports Broadcaster, Passes Away at 78

Greg Gumbel, a renowned sports broadcaster described as "broadcasting royalty," has died after a battle with cancer, his wife and daughter announced in a statement shared by CBS Sports on X. He was 78.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel,” the statement read. “He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer.”

Greg Gumbel, who served as a CBS Sports studio host and play-by-play announcer for events including five Super Bowls and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament over 25 years, faced his illness with “stoicism, grace, and positivity,” his family said.

“He was universally well-liked,” broadcaster Bob Costas told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “He was consistently excellent at his job.”

CBS Sports expressed its devastation over his passing, with President and CEO David Berson offering the following tribute: “There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague.”

The outpouring of support for Gumbel continued on Friday, with CBS Sports Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Production Harold Bryant calling him a "role model and a pioneer" in a statement.

“He broke barriers being one of the few Black broadcasters covering sports at the highest levels. He set a high bar for others to follow. His work was beyond reproach as he became one of the most respected broadcasters in the industry,” Bryant said. “Whether it was play-by-play, studio host, or interviewing elite athletes, Greg was as smooth and trustworthy as could be. Greg loved his family, loved The Rolling Stones, and loved CBS. He treated everybody with respect and gratitude. Greg – you will be missed.”

Clark Kellogg, a college basketball analyst for CBS and former professional basketball player, expressed his admiration for Gumbel’s character. “I had the privilege of enjoying nearly 25 years of Greg’s friendship, goodness, humor, partnership, professionalism, and wisdom,” Kellogg said. “He was excellent in his work and exemplary in his caring and character.”

Sports announcer Jim Nantz, who had worked alongside Gumbel for nearly 35 years, described him as “as selfless a broadcaster as anyone in the industry has ever known.” “Greg Gumbel was broadcasting royalty,” Nantz said. “There’s not a member of the CBS Sports family who doesn’t have a sweet or kind memory of Greg. I have so much love and respect for him, and I’m going to miss him dearly.”

In March, Gumbel missed his f irst NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to family health issues, The Associated Press reported. Last year, he signed an extension with CBS that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties.

Born on May 3, 1946, in New Orleans and raised in Chicago, Gumbel returned to CBS Sports in January 1998 as a play-by-play announcer and host, after previously working with the network from 1989 to 1994. He had left CBS for NBC in 1994 when the network lost its football coverage, but returned four years later when CBS regained the contract.

Before joining CBS, Gumbel worked as a host for the NBA's New York Knicks and MLB's New York Yankees for the Madison Square Garden Network. His career, spanning more than 50 years, also included anchoring ESPN’s SportsCenter, hosting the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, and CBS's The NFL Today.

A three-time local Emmy Award winner, Gumbel also anchored CBS’s coverage of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games and co-anchored weekday morning broadcasts of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games. He was awarded the Pat Summerall Award for excellence in sports broadcasting in 2007.

Gumbel was also a committed philanthropist, serving on the board of trustees for the March of Dimes for three decades and as a member of the Sports Council for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for 16 years.

In 2022, he celebrated 50 years in broadcasting.

Greg Gumbel is survived by his family and will be remembered as a trailblazer in the world of sports broadcasting.