Remembering John Madden

When you think about Raiders football, you think of two people: Al Davis and the great John Madden. On Dec. 28, 2021, Madden passed away unexpectedly at the age of 85. Madden is survived by his wife, Virginia, and their children and grandchildren.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released the following statement after Madden’s passing:

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football… 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.”

John Madden began his career as the Oakland Raiders linebackers coach before being named head coach in 1969 at age 32. His brilliant coaching and work ethic finally paid off in 1977 when the Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. After a phenomenal 10-year tenure, Madden retired from coaching with an overall record of 103-32-7. Madden never coached a losing season.

After retiring from coaching, Madden became the first color commentator to work for all four major networks. From 1979 to 2008, Madden was the most respected and well loved analyst in football. Calling Super Bowls, he found a place in nearly every home in America, bringing the love of football to all who were lucky enough to witness his love of the game. Madden was a 16-time Emmy Award winner for his tremendous work in broadcasting.

During his time in the booth, the Madden NFL video game was released. Madden offered his name and personality to the popular EA Sports game beginning in 1988. The Madden game continues to be one of the most popular video games around, inspiring the new generation to find a love for football.

Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

After his passing on Thursday, current and former NFL players took to Twitter to extend their gratitude for the greatest football life to ever live.

“Sad to hear of John Madden passing. Praying for his family.” Raiders QB Derek Carr tweeted. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shared his own message to John Madden. “I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more.”