"(Greg) passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer," said wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel in a statement. "Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace and positivity."
"He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten."
"Greg's memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him."
Gumbel was a fan-favourite sports broadcaster that was in the industry for over 50 years. From getting his big start at ESPN in 1981 as a co-host alongside Chris Berman, to hosting CBS' NCAA Tournament selection show for 26 years, to becoming the only African-American play-by-play broadcaster to announce a Super Bowl, his legacy will forever live on in the hearts of his family, friends, colleagues, and fans across the world.
Many tributes from all across social media are pouring in to let Gumbel's family know how much he was loved.
Play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson also made a tribute to Gumbel in the middle of the Syracuse-Washington State bowl game.
"There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television," said CBS Sports president and CEO David Berson in a statement. "He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague."
"A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller," Berson continued. "Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four. Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow."
Greg and his brother, Bryant (76), who also made a successful career in television broadcasting, even appeared in a skit during a Family Guy episode back in 2000, featuring a TV show that Peter Griffin enjoyed called "Gumbel 2 Gumbel" in which the brothers actually voiced themselves.
As a personal favourite of mine, it had to be Gumbel's "Mile High Miracle" call as the Baltimore Ravens took down the Denver Broncos during their iconic playoff run 11 years ago, leading to the franchise's second-ever Super Bowl victory.
From all of us here at Flashscore, our condolences go out to the Gumbel family during this difficult time.