NFL Legend John Madden Dies at 85

Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary

NFL Hall of Fame coach and former broadcaster John Madden has died, the NFL announced on Tuesday. The league stated that the 85-year-old died unexpectedly earlier that day.

Madden coached the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978 and led the team to a Super Bowl title. He never had a losing season and steered the Raiders to five consecutive AFC Championship appearances, including one en route to downing the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. After retiring from coaching, Madden went on to work as a color commentator for CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC.

The NFL issued a statement reading:

Earlier today we received the sad news that the great John Madden died unexpectedly this morning. He was 85.

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

“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.”

Madden also lent his likeness and voice to the highly successful Madden NFL video game series, which has sold more than 250 million copies. The football icon also had a well-noted fear of flying and traveled across the country by bus to do broadcasts.