NFL Hall of Fame Coach John Madden dies at 85

(Eagle News) — Legendary sports broadcaster and National Football League Hall of Fame Coach John Madden died unexpectedly at age 85 on Tuesday morning, December 28, 2021, the league announced in a statement.

“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “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.”

Former head coach John Madden of the Oakland Raiders is presented with his Hall of Fame ring during a ceremony to honor his recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame before the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals 22 October 2006 at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland. AFP PHOTO/Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS AND TELEVISION USE ONLY (Photo by JONATHAN FERREY / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP)

Madden spent 10 seasons as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He led the team to an AFL championship and a Super Bowl XI title.

When he left coaching he did not leave football. Madden’s influence on the game transcended the gridiron and entered the homes of millions of Americans as a professional broadcaster. His status as a football icon was further solidified when several video football games were named after him, the most popular being the Madden NFL series.

“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,” Goodell said.

(Eagle News Service)