Greg Gumbel, Longtime CBS Sports Studio Host and Play-by-Play Man, Dies at 78

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As I delve into the captivating life story of Greg Gumbel, I am struck by the sheer magnitude and richness of his broadcasting career. His journey, marked by resilience, versatility, and a knack for storytelling, is nothing short of inspiring.

Veteran sports broadcaster Greg Gumbel, who spent over five decades at CBS and hosted events like the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and The NFL Today, as well as commentated on two Super Bowls, has sadly passed away. He was 78 years old.

It was shared on Friday that Gumbel passed away following a valiant fight against cancer, as expressed in a statement by his wife, Marcy, and his daughter, Michelle.

Greg faced his illness in a way that was typical of him – with calmness, elegance, and optimism,” people remarked. “He leaves behind an inspiring legacy spanning over 50 remarkable years in the sports broadcasting world, and his unique voice will forever echo in our memories.

Among the survivors are his younger sibling, Bryant Gumbel, who was once a host on NBC’s Today program and HBO’s Real Sports.

Jim Gumble led the broadcast of March Madness for a consecutive period of 26 years, starting in 1998 and ending in 2023. However, he had to skip the 2024 tournament due to personal family health concerns.

Working alongside Terry Bradshaw and Lesley Visser, Gumbel took over from Brent Musburger as host of CBS’s “The NFL Today” from 1990-1993. He returned to the role in 2004-2005, replacing Jim Nantz and working with Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, and Shannon Sharpe.

From 1988 to 2022, the Chicago native had the distinction of calling his first NFL game all the way to his last one. During this period, he teamed up with Phil Simms as CBS’s primary NFL broadcast duo from 1998 to 2004. Notably, he was the first African American to provide play-by-play commentary for a major U.S. sports championship when he covered the 2001 Super Bowl. He and Simms also worked together on the 2004 title game.

For all he accomplished, Gumbel said his impact on the games he covered was minimal at best.

In an interview with Jimmy Traina for Sports Illustrated in 2022, he stated: “I’ve never encountered someone throughout my life who can entice a viewer to tune into a game that they weren’t already intent on watching. I firmly believe that the role of a broadcaster is to deter rather than attract viewers.

I aimed to emulate the style of Pat Summerall, my CBS colleague. He was never verbose; instead, he was subtle and precise in his choice of words. His statements were always meaningful, and he was exceptional. But isn’t it difficult not to be impressive when you’re covering games like Giants-Cowboys, Bears-Packers, Rams-49ers, or Eagles-Giants?

Born in New Orleans on May 3, 1946, Gregory Gumbel, the eldest of four siblings, grew up in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. His father, Richard, served as a probate judge and had a past in minor-league baseball, while his mother, Rhea, held a position as a city clerk.

In an interview with Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated in 1988, Gumbel shared that his father was “extremely difficult to please.” He said, “A ‘C’ should have been a ‘B’, and a ‘B’ should have been an ‘A’. If it was an ‘A’, why wasn’t it an ‘A’ earlier on?

In the year 1963, Gumbel completed his education at De La Salle Institute, and later in 1967, he graduated from Loras College in Iowa. During his time at Loras, he was part of their baseball team and managed to overcome his shyness. Afterwards, he worked as a salesman for hospital supplies in Detroit. In the year 1973, he received news from his brother, who was a sports caster at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, that WMAQ-TV in Chicago was searching for a weekend sports anchor.

Initially, his response was, “Interesting… baseball or bedpans, either one sounds good,” he mentioned. Gumbel eventually secured the position (taking over from future ABC Sports president Dennis Swanson) and remained there for approximately 7 and a half years.

Afterward, Gumbel spent his time at ESPN, where he served as the anchor for SportsCenter for approximately 5 and a half years; provided commentary for Knicks and Yankees games, and hosted studio programs for the MSG Network; and, initially on WFAN Radio, had a morning show from 6 to 10 am that lasted about a year before Don Imus took over.

1988 saw Gumbel start with CBS as a freelance commentator for NFL matches, partnered with analyst Ken Stabler. The following year, he transitioned into a permanent role at the network, taking charge of their college football studio program.

After Musburger’s termination from CBS due to a contract disagreement, he assumed the role for The NFL Today. He additionally handled play-by-play for NBA and baseball games, and served as the host during the 1992 Winter Olympics held in Albertville, France, and the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. It was at these events where figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan made notable headlines.

15 seconds prior to when Harding and Kerrigan were set to compete for the gold medal, my producer Rick Gentile calmly informed me over my earpiece, “Hey, don’t stress, you’ve got around 180 million viewers tuned in.” He remembered this later.

Following CBS’s loss of NFL game rights due to a bidding contest with Fox, Gumbel moved to NBC in 1994, where he worked as a play-by-play commentator for both baseball and NBA games (alongside Quinn Buckner), hosted “The NFL on NBC,” and provided daytime coverage for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

1998 saw Gumbel rejoin CBS following a five-year contract, as the network had secured the NFL rights once more. Previously, NBC had held these rights but lost them this time around. For the 2004 NFL season, Gumbel and Nantz switched roles: Nantz took over as the lead announcer alongside Simms, while Gumbel resumed his position on The NFL Today.

At that point, we were fortunate enough to have two individuals who excel in both live commentary and studio presenting roles,” CBS Sports president Sean McManus stated. “It’s possible to argue that each job holds an equal importance.

After the 2005 season, Gumbel was no longer hosting Sundays in the studio, instead James Brown took over who had previously hosted Fox NFL Sunday. Later in 2006, Gumbel came back to commentating on NFL games. Throughout the years, he worked alongside analysts like Dan Dierdorf, Trent Green, Bruce Arians, Rich Gannon and Adam Archuleta.

He also did play-by-play opposite Cris Collinsworth for a slate of NFL Network games in 2006-07.

On various television shows, such as “Evening Shade”, “3rd Rock From the Sun”, “Cosby”, and “Yes, Dear”, Gumbel made guest appearances playing himself. In a 2000 episode of “Family Guy”, the plot centered around an imaginary TV series called “Gumbel 2 Gumbel: Beach Justice”. In this show-within-a-show, Gumbel and Bryant were portrayed as cops patrolling the beach.

He was a huge Rolling Stones fan, and of all the sports, he said baseball was his favorite.

Apart from his brother, his spouse who he wedded in 1973, and their daughter, the list of survivors also encompasses his sisters named Renee and Rhonda.

In a touching tribute, CBS Sports President and CEO David Berson expressed that no one in television has ever been as gracious as Gumbel. Many people who were fortunate enough to know him personally regarded him with admiration and affection.

Greg, an exceptional broadcaster and talented storyteller, had an unparalleled, revolutionary career in sports broadcasting that stands out among the rest. Known as a friendly and comforting voice for sports enthusiasts everywhere, he was associated with various sports such as the NFL and March Madness. His most recognized work includes commentating on the Super Bowl and Final Four.

Greg paved the way and established a model for others, making remarkable strides. Today, we at CBS Sports and the broader sports world are deeply saddened by his departure.

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2024-12-28 01:55