Legendary CBS sportscaster and play-by-play analyst Greg Gumbel has died after a battle with cancer, according to a statement from the family released by CBS Sports on Friday.
Gumbel was 78 years old.
Gumbel’s instantly recognizable voice was synonymous with meaningful NFL football, as he frequently called games with postseason implications. However, Gumbel was by no means only associated with the NFL. The longtime panelist and play-by-play man was also the voice of Selection Sunday and would announce the teams as they were selected for March Madness,
In 2024, Gumbel missed March Madness due to a family health issue, and Ernie Johnson filled in. The crew paid tribute to Gumbel at the beginning of the broadcast.
Tributes to Gumbel poured in from across the sports world.
“Beyond his March Madness coverage, Gumbel also did play-by-play for NFL games on CBS for over two decades across two stints with the network,” Larry Brown Sports reports. “He also spent two years as the host of the network’s “The NFL Today” studio show. Prior to that, he also did extensive play-by-play work for Major League Baseball games on both CBS and NBC and anchored coverage of various major events, including college football, the College World Series, and the Olympics.”