CNN
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Greg Gumbel, a longtime sportscaster, has died after a battle with cancer, his wife and daughter announced in a statement shared by CBS Sports on X. He was 78 years old.

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

The Gumbels said Greg, who was an anchor and play-by-play announcer in the CBS Sports studio for 25 years, including five Super Bowls and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, faced his illness with “stoicism, grace and positivity.” .

“He was popular everywhere,” broadcaster Bob Costas told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “He did his job excellently throughout.”

CBS Sports said in a statement that it was “devastated by the death of Greg Gumbel.”

“There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was loved and respected by those of us who had the honor of calling him a friend and colleague,” David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, said in the statement.

There was an outpouring of support for Gumbel on Friday. Harold Bryant, executive producer and vice president of production for CBS Sports, called the late announcer a “role model and pioneer” in a statement.

“He broke barriers as one of the few black broadcasters covering sports at the highest level. He set the bar high for others. His work was beyond reproach and he became one of the most respected broadcasters in the industry,” said Bryant.

“Whether it was play-by-play, studio hosting or interviewing elite athletes, Greg was as smooth and trustworthy as can be. Greg loved his family, loved the Rolling Stones and loved CBS. He treated everyone with respect and gratitude. Greg – we will miss you,” Bryant’s statement continued.

Clark Kellogg, a college basketball analyst for CBS and a former professional basketball player, said he enjoyed Gumbel’s “friendship, kindness, humor, partnership, professionalism and wisdom” for nearly 25 years.

“He was outstanding in his work and exemplary in his care and character,” Kellogg said in a statement.

According to a CBS News biography, Gumbel was born in New Orleans on May 3, 1946, and grew up in Chicago.

In January 1998, Gumbel returned to CBS Sports as a play-by-play announcer and host, having previously worked for the network from October 1989 to May 1994, according to his biography.

Before joining CBS, Gumbel hosted the NBA’s New York Knicks and MLB’s New York Yankees for the Madison Square Garden Network, according to CBS.

His more than 50-year career also included hosting ESPN’s SportsCenter while he worked with the network for more than five years, hosting the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the CBS football show “The NFL Today,” the Hollywood reported Reporter.

According to CBS, the three-time Emmy winner was a CBS Sports primetime anchor for its coverage of the 1994 Winter Olympics and co-host of CBS’ weekday broadcasts of the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Gumbel celebrated his 50th broadcast anniversary in 2022, CBS reported.

This is a developing story and will be updated.