Sports Business Journal reporter John Ourand reported Wednesday that legendary play-by-play announcer Greg Gumbel has some changes on the horizon. Gumbel signed an extension that will have him continue hosting the network’s college basketball coverage, but will step down from play-by-play coverage for the NFL.
Gumbel is 76 years old, and has been a staple in CBS’s sports coverage for decades. He got his start at CBS hosting “The NFL Today” pregame show from 1990 to 1993. He then returned to CBS in 1998 after joining NBC when CBS lost the NFC package to FOX. Gumbel and Phil Simms acted as the lead play-by-play announcers for CBS for seven years, and after two years of studio hosting, he returned to play by play from 2006 and has been doing so ever since.
Greg Gumbel has called two Super Bowls in his career as well. He called Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII, and in 2001 became the first African American to do play-by-play on a Super Bowl.
He’s been a part of CBS’s coverage of the NFL for over 30 years, but will now focus on basketball. Gumbel currently hosts CBS’s men’s basketball tournament studio show, a role he’s been in for over 20 years. He won’t be present in the fall when NFL season comes around, but his presence during March Madness will remain a staple of CBS.
Gumbel recently received some backlash during his coverage of the NCAA Tournament when speaking about Alabama freshman Brandon Miller. Miller is tied to an ongoing murder case involving former player Darius Miles, which Gumbel spoke about on Sunday night.
“They sidestepped a situation involving criminal activity in which Brandon Miller was associated. He was not charged. They are here as the No. 1 overall seed,” Gumbel said.