He won a SuperBowl as a manager for the Raiders (1977) and was a commentator for 30 years (1979-2009). He also gave voice and name to a popular video game in the US: ‘Madden NFL’
Award-winning NFL coach John Madden, one of the sport’s great icons who spread his influence to television and video games, has died at the age of 85.
With his distinctive voice and warm character, Madden was a constant presence on NFL broadcasts throughout his 30-year commentary career, which began in 1979 and concluded with the 2009 Super Bowl. A Hall of Famer since 2006 , Madden led for a decade the Oakland Raiders and led them to their Super Bowl triumph in 1977.
However, his achievements on the bench, and even his television career, were overshadowed in the memory of new generations by his participation as the voice of the popular video game “Madden NFL”. “Nobody loved soccer more than him. He was soccer. He was an incredible sounding board for me and many others,” said the league commissioner, Roger Goodell, it’s a statement.
In the text, the NFL said that Madden passed away “unexpectedly”, without detailing the causes of death. “There will never be another John Madden, and we will always be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what they are today,” Goodell acknowledged.
Born on April 10, 1936 in Austin, Texas, Madden grew up in the state of California and seemed destined for a professional football career after being a figure at his institute.
But his hopes were dashed before he could play just one game in the NFL. During his first training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles, who had chosen him in the 1958 Draft, suffered a second serious knee injury that took him off the court.
The injury was decisive for his preparation as a future coach. During his rehabilitation, he spent long hours in the video room analyzing the plays in the company of the then Eagles quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin. “That’s where I learned professional soccer,” Madden explained years later.
As a coach, he began his career in college football and in 1967 he joined the Raiders as an assistant. Two years later, he became the youngest head coach the NFL had ever had, at 32 years and 10 months.
The voice of the video game
In his first year on the bench, he was 12-1-1 and earned the trust of the franchise for a long-term project, culminating in his 1977 Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
At just 40 years old, Madden had a long time ahead of him to fatten his record but only two seasons later, citing fatigue and a stomach ulcer problem, he left the competition. “I’ve given everything and I have nothing left,” Madden explained through tears in an announcement that surprised the NFL. “I am retiring as a coach and I will never be one again in my life.”
Madden quickly found a new calling when he was hired by CBS as a television commentator. Later he went to work for the other three main networks – Fox, ABC and NBC – and to receive a salary higher than that of any player in the NFL. His mix of keen analysis and passion became his cover letters.
Madden’s style made him a logical choice as a figure in the only official video game of the NFL, “John Madden Football,” released in 1988. The game, which later became known simply as “Madden NFL” and would be updated every year, It was one of the best sellers of all time, generating billions of dollars in sales and being hugely popular with fans and gamers alike.
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