Greg Gumbel was a March Madness fixture and was a longtime fixture of CBS Sports’ coverage of March Madness. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

CBS opened up its broadcast of the first day of the NCAA men’s tournament with the studio panel paying tribute to the late Greg Gumbel.

“A void was left that will never be filled,” said host Ernie Johnson of Gumbel’s passing.

Gumbel, a longtime fixture during CBS’ March Madness coverage, died in December after a battle with cancer.

Johnson and analysts Clark Kellogg, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley — all wearing pins in honor of Gumbel — each took turns talking about their former colleague and just how much they’ll miss him and dad jokes.

The segment began with music from the Rolling Stones, Gumbel’s favorite band.

For more than two decades, Gumbel was a regular in CBS’ coverage of both the NFL and college basketball, always providing a welcoming face in either the broadcast booth or the studio host’s chair. He retired from NFL coverage in 2022 but continued handling the college hoops side of the job until 2024.

Gumbel stepped away from covering the 2024 NCAA tournament, with “family health issues” presented as the reason why.

Following Gumbel’s passing in December, personalities from throughout the sports world paid tribute to him. As CBS began its broadcast of Selection Sunday this past weekend, the network opened with a two-minute video showcasing Gumbel’s impact on March Madness.