The NFL announced on Tuesday the death of John Madden at the age of 85, one of the NFL’s greatest legends, a member of the Hall of Fame and a Super Bowl XI champion with the Oakland Raiders.
“We received the news that this day the great John Madden passed away, he was 85 years old. On behalf of the entire NFL we extend our condolences to his family,” were the words of Commissioner Roger Goodell, in the statement published by the league.
We all know him as the Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame coach. “
Goodell recognized the trajectory both on the pitch as a commentator for the former coach. “We all know him as the Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster who worked for all the major networks, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather,” said the manager.
Madden was born in 1936. He was a prominent offensive lineman at San Mateo College in California. He came to professional football in 1958, selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he was only one season due to a knee injury that ended his career as a player.
Madden in the Hall of Fame with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Four years later, at the age of 26, he became an assistant coach at Allan Hancock College to make the jump in 1963 to San Diego State as a defensive assistant.
His rapid rise in coaching led him to the NFL in 1967 when the Oakland Raiders hired him to coach their linebackers, a year later Oakland would reach its first Super Bowl.
Records of earliness
At just 32 years old, he was the youngest coach in the history of the league and reached 100 victories as a coach in just 10 years.
His work was recognized by team owner Al Davis, who gave him the opportunity to coach the Raiders at just 32 years old, making him the youngest coach in league history. He reached 100 victories as a coach in just 10 years.
As a coach he never had a losing season, including postseason games. In the year he won the first Super Bowl in Raiders history, his record was 13-1.
Raiders tribute to John Madden
In 1978 he retired from the pitch and began a successful career as a sportscaster. John Madden became the face of the well-known video game that is now known as “Madden” in 1988 when the Electronic Arts company proposed the project that ended with the popular game, of which more than 135 million copies have been sold.
