John Madden, the Super Bowl-winning Hall of Fame coach and beloved former broadcaster who later became famous for his popular video game, has died at the age of 85. Madden’s death was confirmed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday, although no cause of death was given. It was said that his death came as a shock.
‘On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe, and their families,’ he said.
‘We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.
‘Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others.
‘There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.’
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady also paid tribute, saying: ‘He was always so good to me. RIP to a legend of our game.’
Even NBA great LeBron James chimed in: ‘Rest in Paradise To the goat John Madden!!!! Your legacy will continue to live on!!!!!’
EA Sports, the brand behind the Madden franchise, said: ‘Today, we lost a hero. John Madden was synonymous with the sport of football for more than 50 years.
‘His knowledge of the game was second only to his love for it, and his appreciation for everyone that stepped on the gridiron.
‘A humble champion, a willing teacher, and forever a coach. Our hearts and sympathies go out to John’s family, friends, and millions of fans. He will be greatly missed, always remembered, and never forgotten.’
Madden’s wife, Virginia Fields, whom he married in 1959, survives him.
Michael, born in 1964, and Joseph, born in 1966, are the couple’s sons.
Madden rose to prominence as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders for a decade, leading them to seven AFC title games and the Super Bowl following the 1976 season.
He finished the regular season with a 103-32-7 record, and his.759 winning % is the best among NFL coaches who have coached more than 100 games.
But it was his efforts after stepping down as coach at the age of 42 that cemented Madden’s status as a household name.
Madden worked as a color analyst for CBS (1979–1993), Fox (1994–2001), ABC (2002–2005), and NBC (2006–2008) during his career.
After the 2008 NFL season, he announced his retirement from broadcasting.
With his use of the telestrator on broadcasts, he educated a football nation; he entertained millions with his ‘Boom!’ and ‘Doink!’ interjections throughout games; he was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores, and beer; he became the face of ‘Madden NFL Football,’ one of the most successful sports video games of all time; and he was a best-selling author.
Most importantly, for the majority of his three decades on television, he was the top sports analyst, receiving an astounding 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks.
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