National Football League

FOX Sports remembers John Madden's lasting legacy

Updated Dec. 30, 2021 4:14 p.m. ET

The football world lost a legend Tuesday, when John Madden unexpectedly died at the age of 85.

The Hall of Fame coach, broadcaster and video game pioneer left an unrivaled mark on the NFL, cementing a wide-reaching legacy that won't soon be forgotten.

WATCH: You can view the documentary "All Madden" in full on Tubi

For several FOX Sports analysts, Madden played a unique role in their lives.

Here's how they remembered Madden on Wednesday:

"Undisputed" co-host Shannon Sharpe:

"He has called big games for all major networks. He was animated, the gold standard in commentary. … He was so personable and was such a great man.

"In 10 years [as a coach], he only lost 32 games. [As a player], when you saw the ‘Madden cruiser’ bus pull up in the parking lot, it's a big game.

"When Coach Madden showed up, you better be on your best behavior. You wanted him to say great things about you. It's a sad, sad day for the NFL."

Shannon Sharpe: "He was a larger-than-life figure"

John Madden was a legendary figure known to one generation as a Hall of Fame coach, another generation as the sport’s greatest announcer and yet another for the video game that bears his name. Shannon Sharpe remembers the life and legacy of Madden.

"Undisputed" co-host Skip Bayless:

"There has never been a collection of misfits and psycho personalities like the group that John Madden was coaching. He coached lots of Hall of Fame-bound players –– I never heard one negative word about John Madden. No players I've ever covered loved their coach more than this group loved John Madden.

"He had two rules: You show up on time, and you play your ass off. They played clean, fierce football. This was the most physical football team I've ever seen. He has the highest winning percentage [75.9] in the regular season of any coach with at least 100 wins."

Skip Bayless: The Raiders players loved John Madden

Skip Bayless says during his time covering the NFL, no coach received more love from players than the late John Madden.

"The Herd" host Colin Cowherd:

"When you hear people talk about him, it's very unique that you can be relevant in multiple industries for 40 to 50 years. His relevance is unmatched.

"John was a legendary coach in the ‘70s, amazing broadcaster in the ’80s and '90s and a video-game pioneer. People were struck by him. He was big, loud and fun, and he was really intelligent. He connected with everyone. He had integrity. He was relatable, brainpower.

"Like many legends, he was a combination of many things, and like all legends, there was nobody like him. Often imitated, never duplicated.

"His mind was a steel trap, one of the smartest human beings the NFL has ever had. If you played football, loved it, coached it, broadcasted it, John had an influence on your life."

Colin Cowherd: John Madden was completely authentic

Colin Cowherd pays tribute to the massive and meaningful legacy John Madden left behind.

FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks:

"FOX had nothing at the time that I got there. No studios, no building or people who knew how to do the NFL. There was only one way to gain credibility, and that was to bring John Madden over from CBS. I got to know him over time, and I soaked up every second of [his advice]. I was sweeping the floors when he got here. For him, everything was about getting it right, and I think we still try to do that every Sunday.

"I would have to think that at the time, Madden and Michael Jordan were almost the same. The celebrity was off the charts, and he had time for everybody. People like to say that he never went fast. There wasn't any place you couldn't eat or couldn't stay with John.

"There were presidents that would stop just to have a conversation with him. Everyone that was around him loved him. He had an essence about him."

FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks remembers John Madden

FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks joins Colin Cowherd to remember the legend of John Madden, comparing Madden's impact to that of the great Michael Jordan.

"First Things First" co-host Chris Broussard:

"Football was by far my favorite sport as a little boy growing up in the '70s. I was a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. The team that I feared the most, as a young guy who lived and died with every Steelers victory or loss, was John Madden's Raiders.

"For all the Hall of Famers he had, John Madden was as much a face of that team. He had probably the greatest team in Raiders franchise history in 1976. They went 13-1 and destroyed Minnesota in the Super Bowl.

"He coached 10 years, made the playoffs eight years, [reached] the conference championship seven years. He could be in the Hall of Fame for a number of things, but as a coach, it should never be forgotten how good he was on the sidelines."

Chris Broussard: "We should never forget how great of a coach John Madden was"

While John Madden is celebrated for popularizing the game of football with his color commentary, as well as his iconic video game franchise, Chris Broussard calls attention to Madden's legacy as a coach.

"First Things First" co-host Nick Wright:

"John Madden, from every step of his career, found a way to grow the game even bigger. The broadcasting career –– I think he won 16 Emmys. He called Super Bowls on all four major networks, which will never be done again by anybody. To me, he's unquestionably the greatest color commentator in the history of American sports, for any sport.

"He found a way to have his infectious love of football transcend the screen, and football is a complicated, complex game. He could explain such complex topics in such basic, accessible language, with such enthusiasm.

"He and Pat Summerall were the soundtrack of me learning football. The Madden video game franchise is one of the items I hold dearest to my heart. That's where I really became a football guy year-round. I don't think it's possible to overstate his impact on the game that's become America's most popular sport by a mile."