Greg Gumbel obit

Greg Gumbel, CBS Sports broadcasting legend, dies at 78

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Greg Gumbel, who served as an NFL broadcaster and March Madness host for CBS, has died after a battle with cancer, his family announced Friday. He was 78 years old.

Gumbel initially joined CBS in 1988 as a part-time announcer and later hosted The NFL Today from 1990-93. He then left the network to join NBC in 1994 after CBS lost the rights to the NFL and MLB, but returned in 1998 following Super Bowl XXXII. That’s when he became the host for the NCAA Tournament, anchoring March Madness coverage.

Gumbel remained in that role as March Madness host while also serving as a play-by-play broadcaster for NFL games. He missed the 2024 NCAA Tournament due to family health issues, meaning the 2023 tournament marked his final March Madness on the desk.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel,” his family said in a statement released by CBS Sports Friday afternoon. “He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace and positivity.

“He leaves behind 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 forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him.”

Gumbel began his career in Chicago at WMAQ-TV in 1973 before joining ESPN in 1979 as a reporter and anchor while also doing play-by-play. He then spent a year with MSG covering the New York Yankees in 1988 before latching on at CBS as a college basketball play-by-play broadcaster in 1989. He added The NFL Today in 1990.

Gumbel covered multiple notable events during his career, including the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. He also served as the No. 2 play-by-play broadcaster for MLB and NBA games at NBC, and he called the College World Series for CBS from 1990-94 and 2000-02. Gumbel also called Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII for CBS before swapping roles with Jim Nantz.

Gumbel was a staple of CBS’ Selection Sunday shows as the host, announcing each team with its respective seed in the bracket. Ernie Johnson took his seat in 2024.

Gumbel was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first child of Rhea Alice (LeCesne) and Richard Dunbar Gumbel, a judge. His surname originates with his great-great-grandfather, who was a German-Jewish emigrant from the village of Albisheim. As a young man, Gumbel grew up on Chicago's South Side, where he was raised Catholic, attending and graduating from De La Salle Institute. In 1967, Gumbel graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Loras College, where he also played on the baseball team. He had two sisters, Renee Gumbel-Farrahi and Rhonda Gumbel-Thomas, and a younger brother, Bryant Gumbel, who also pursued a network television broadcasting career.

In 1973, Greg's brother Bryant, then working as a television sportscaster at KNBC in Los Angeles, informed him that another NBC owned-and-operated station, WMAQ-TV in Chicago, was auditioning for a sports announcer. At the time, Greg was selling hospital supplies in Detroit. He ultimately got the job, returned to Chicago and worked at WMAQ-TV for seven years. The sportscaster he replaced, Dennis Swanson, went on to become president of ABC Sports.

Prior to his rising to prominence at CBS, Gumbel worked for MSG, ESPN, and WFAN radio in New York City. At ESPN, he anchored the show SportsCenter and did play-by-play for early NBA games. On MSG, Gumbel served as a backup announcer for Marv Albert on New York Knicks broadcasts as well as providing coverage for college basketball. When MSG signed a huge contract to broadcast New York Yankees games in 1989, Gumbel served as host of the pregame and postgame shows. In addition to his MSG duties, he was the host of the first radio morning show on radio station WFAN. However, station management replaced him with WNBC Radio personality Don Imus once WFAN took over WNBC's AM 660 frequency.

Gumbel's CBS career began with part-time work as an NFL announcer in 1988. In 1989, Gumbel began announcing college basketball as well. He became host of The NFL Today (alongside Terry Bradshaw) for the 1990 to 1993 seasons. He also anchored CBS' coverage of Major League Baseball, college football, and, in 1999, CBS' coverage for the Daytona 500 and Pepsi 400.

Besides his hosting duties, Gumbel provided play-by-play for the NBA (alongside Quinn Buckner), Major League Baseball including the 1993 American League Championship Series (alongside Jim Kaat), and College World Series baseball.

He was the prime time anchor for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games from Lillehammer, Norway, and co-anchor for the weekday morning broadcasts of the 1992 Winter Olympics from Albertville, France.

Gumbel moved to NBC in 1994 following CBS' losses of the NFL and Major League Baseball broadcasting contracts (Gumbel's last on-air assignment for CBS was providing play-by-play for the College World Series). While at NBC, Gumbel hosted NBC's coverage of the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He also did play-by-play for the 1995 Major League Baseball National League Division Series and National League Championship Series (on both occasions, teaming with Joe Morgan), did play-by-play for The NBA on NBC, hosted NBC's daytime coverage of the 1996 Summer Olympics from Atlanta, Georgia, hosted the 1995 World Championships of Figure Skating, and served as the studio host for The NFL on NBC.

 

As CBS had just acquired the rights to NBC's previous NFL package, Gumbel joined the broadcast team as the lead announcer with fellow NBC alumnus Phil Simms as his color man. Gumbel was the lead announcer for the NFL on CBS between 1998 and 2003, calling Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII. For the 2004 NFL season, Gumbel traded positions with Jim Nantz as host of The NFL Today with Nantz taking over as lead announcer.

 

At the end of the 2005 NFL season, Gumbel was replaced as studio host of The NFL Today by James Brown. Gumbel returned to the broadcast booth as the #2 play-by-play man, replacing Dick Enberg, alongside color man Dan Dierdorf until Dierdorf retired after the 2013–14 NFL season. Gumbel also worked alongside Trent Green in the #3 team from 2014 until 2019. He worked in a three-man booth with Green and Bruce Arians for the 2018 NFL season. Gumbel then traded spots with Kevin Harlan in 2020, teaming with Rich Gannon. Adam Archuleta became Gumbel's partner in the #4 slot the following year after CBS declined to renew Gannon's contract.

Gumbel is one of a few sports announcers to work on pre-game, play-by-play, and radio Super Bowl broadcast teams. He hosted the television pre-game show for Super Bowl XXVI (CBS); Super Bowl XXX (NBC); Super Bowl XXXII (NBC); Super Bowl XLVII (CBS); and Super Bowl 50 (CBS); provided tv play-by-play for Super Bowl XXXV (CBS) and Super Bowl XXXVIII (CBS); hosted the radio pre-game show for Super Bowl XXV (CBS); Super Bowl XXVI (CBS); Super Bowl XXVII (CBS); and Super Bowl XXVIII (CBS).

 

During his tenure as the chief anchor of The NFL Today, he served alongside co-anchors Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe, and Boomer Esiason. He was nicknamed "Gumby" by some of his colleagues.

 

Actor

NFL Network Special

TV Series

2017

 

Mike O'Malley, Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder in Yes, Dear (2000)

Yes, Dear

6.9

TV Series

Greg Gumbel

2001

1 episode

 

Bill Cosby in Cosby (1996)

Cosby

6.2

TV Series

Greg Gumbel

1999

1 episode

 

Dennis Farina in Buddy Faro (1998)

Buddy Faro

7.2

TV Series

Greg Gumbel

1998

1 episode

 

John Lithgow, Kristen Johnston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and French Stewart in 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996)

3rd Rock from the Sun

7.8

TV Series

Greg Gumbel

1998

1 episode

 

Marilu Henner, Burt Reynolds, Ossie Davis, Charles Durning, Hal Holbrook, Michael Jeter, and Elizabeth Ashley in Evening Shade (1990)

Evening Shade

7.0

TV Series

Greg Gumbel

1992

1 episode