John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster, dies at 85

Updated Dec. 28, 2021 7:20 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster John Madden, whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the NFL said. He was 85.

Coaching the renegade Oakland Raiders, Madden compiled a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record and led his team to victory in the Super Bowl after the 1976 season. But a fear of flying helped contribute to an early retirement from coaching.

He became an even more impactful figure after he stopped coaching at age 42, entertaining millions who tuned in to NFL football. He also was the name behind the hugely popular sports video game, “Madden NFL Football.”

share

in this topic

Bowling Green Falcons

College Football

Mid-American

John Madden

Las Vegas Raiders