History of Greg Gumbel in Timeline

Greg Gumbel is a renowned American television sportscaster, primarily known for his extensive work with CBS Sports. A pioneer in the industry, he made history as the first African-American announcer to provide play-by-play commentary for a major US sports championship, specifically Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. Until 2023, Gumbel served as the studio host for CBS's coverage of men's college basketball and also worked as a play-by-play broadcaster for NFL on CBS, solidifying his prominent role in sports broadcasting.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

May 3, 1946: Gregory Gumbel's Birth

On May 3, 1946, Gregory Girard Gumbel was born. He later became a prominent American television sportscaster.

1946: Birth in New Orleans

In 1946, Gregory Girard Gumbel was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first child of Rhea Alice (LeCesne) and Richard Dunbar Gumbel.

1967: Graduation from Loras College

In 1967, Gumbel graduated from Loras College with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He also played on the baseball team during his time there.

1973: Joins WMAQ-TV in Chicago

In 1973, Greg Gumbel joined WMAQ-TV in Chicago as a sports announcer after being informed of the audition by his brother, Bryant. He worked there for seven years.

1976: Marriage to Marcy Kaczynski

In 1976, Greg Gumbel married Marcy Kaczynski, and they had a daughter named Michelle.

1988: Starts with CBS

In 1988, Greg Gumbel's CBS career started with part-time work as an NFL announcer.

1989: Announces College Basketball

In 1989, Greg Gumbel started announcing college basketball games. He also served as host of the pregame and postgame shows for New York Yankees games.

1990: Host of The NFL Today

From 1990, Greg Gumbel began hosting The NFL Today alongside Terry Bradshaw.

1992: Co-Anchor for Winter Olympics

In 1992, Greg Gumbel co-anchored the weekday morning broadcasts of the Winter Olympics from Albertville, France.

1993: Announces American League Championship Series

In 1993, Greg Gumbel provided play-by-play commentary for Major League Baseball, including the 1993 American League Championship Series alongside Jim Kaat.

1993: End of The NFL Today Hosting

In 1993, Greg Gumbel's time hosting The NFL Today ended.

1994: Moves to NBC

In 1994, Greg Gumbel moved to NBC following CBS's loss of the NFL and Major League Baseball broadcasting contracts. He hosted NBC's coverage of the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

1994: Prime Time Anchor for Winter Olympics

In 1994, Greg Gumbel was the prime time anchor for the Winter Olympic Games from Lillehammer, Norway.

1995: Play-by-play for MLB

In 1995, Greg Gumbel did play-by-play for the Major League Baseball National League Division Series and National League Championship Series, teaming with Joe Morgan.

1996: Hosts Summer Olympics Coverage

In 1996, Greg Gumbel hosted NBC's daytime coverage of the Summer Olympics from Atlanta, Georgia.

1998: Returns to CBS

After the 1998 broadcast of Super Bowl XXXII, Greg Gumbel left NBC to return to CBS, serving as studio host for college basketball coverage, including the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

1999: Studio Host for Daytona 500 and Pepsi 400

In 1999, Greg Gumbel became CBS' studio host for the Daytona 500 and Pepsi 400.

1999: Refusal to Attend NASCAR Banquet

In 1999, Greg Gumbel refused to attend a NASCAR banquet honoring Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas due to disagreements with Thomas' positions on political issues.

2001: Super Bowl XXXV Announcement

In 2001, Gumbel became the first African-American announcer to call play-by-play of a major sports championship in the United States, announcing Super Bowl XXXV for CBS.

2003: Final Year as Lead Announcer for NFL on CBS

Greg Gumbel was the lead announcer for the NFL on CBS until 2003, during which he called Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVIII.

2004: Switches roles with Jim Nantz

In 2004, Greg Gumbel and Jim Nantz traded positions, with Gumbel becoming the host of The NFL Today and Nantz taking over as lead announcer.

2005: Replaced as Host of The NFL Today

At the end of the 2005 NFL season, Greg Gumbel was replaced as studio host of The NFL Today by James Brown, returning to the broadcast booth.

2013: Dierdorf's Retirement

In 2013, Dan Dierdorf retired after the 2013-14 NFL season, concluding his time working alongside Gumbel.

2014: Teams with Trent Green

From 2014 until 2019, Greg Gumbel worked alongside Trent Green in the No. 3 team for NFL broadcasts.

2018: Three-Man Booth with Green and Arians

For the 2018 NFL season, Greg Gumbel worked in a three-man booth with Trent Green and Bruce Arians.

2019: End of Team with Trent Green

In 2019, Greg Gumbel's time working alongside Trent Green ended.

2020: Teams with Rich Gannon

In 2020, Greg Gumbel traded spots with Kevin Harlan, teaming with Rich Gannon for NFL broadcasts.

March 15, 2023: CBS Contract Extension

On March 15, 2023, CBS Sports extended its contract with Greg Gumbel, allowing him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL coverage.