NFL Hall of Fame coach, television icon, John Madden dies at 85
- Hall of Fame coach and voice of football to many died on Wednesday (Hong Kong time) in the US
- As head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Madden made it to seven AFC title games and won the Super Bowl in 1976
John Madden, the voice of American football to one generation, a Hall of Fame coach to another and the face of the video game franchise that bears his name to a third, died on Wednesday morning (Hong Kong time), at the age of 85.
The NFL announced his death, saying it had “received the sad news that the great John Madden died unexpectedly”.
In a statement, the league’s commissioner Roger Goodell sent the condolences of the “entire NFL” to Madden’s family.
“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,” Goodell said.
“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many other. 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.”
Madden initially gained fame as the youngest head coach in professional football when Al Davis put him in charge at the Oakland Raiders. He made it to seven AFC title games and won the Super Bowl in 1976.
He was such a success at the Raiders, compiling a 103-32-7 regular-season record, that his winning percentage is still the highest among coaches who have won at least 100 games.
The Raiders said his impact on the sport, both on and off the field, was “immeasurable”.
“Few individuals meant as much to the growth and popularity of professional football as Coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable,” the Raiders said in a statement.
But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a bestselling author.
Most of all, he was the pre-eminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.
“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”
Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.
Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.
Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.
