Greg Gumbel net worth, height, cancer, salary, twitter • biography

Early Life and Education

Greg Gumbel was born in 1946 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the eldest child of Rhea Alice LeCesne and Richard Gumbel, a judge. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Gumbel graduated from De La Salle Institute before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Loras College in Iowa, where he also played collegiate baseball. He has two sisters, Rhonda Gumbel-Thomas and Renee Gumbel-Farrahi, and is the older brother of noted sportscaster and journalist Bryant Gumbel.

Path to Broadcasting

Greg Gumbel began his broadcasting career with the help of his brother Bryant, who informed him about an audition at WMAQ-TV, a Chicago-based television station. At the time, Greg was working in Detroit, selling hospital supplies. He landed the role and worked at WMAQ-TV for over seven years.

Before gaining national prominence with CBS, Gumbel held broadcasting roles with multiple outlets, including WFAN radio, ESPN, and Madison Square Garden (MSG). During his time at MSG, he hosted the pregame and postgame shows for New York Yankees broadcasts. Simultaneously, he hosted a morning radio show on WFAN, further establishing himself as a versatile sports broadcaster.

Career Highlights at CBS

Greg Gumbel was best known for his long-standing association with CBS, where he covered marquee events such as NCAA basketball and the National Football League. He made history by becoming the first African American play-by-play announcer to call a major U.S. sports championship when he called Super Bowl XXXV on CBS in 2001.

In addition to Super Bowl XXXV, Gumbel served as either host or play-by-play announcer for multiple Super Bowls, including XXVI, XXX, XXXII, and XXXVIII. His ability to transition between host and announcer roles distinguished him as one of the most versatile talents in sports broadcasting. He was the third person to serve both roles for the Super Bowl, followed by Jim Nantz.