National Football League

NFL legend John Madden dies at 85

Updated Dec. 30, 2021 4:15 p.m. ET

Hall of Fame broadcaster and coach John Madden died unexpectedly Tuesday morning at age 85.

"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," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a league statement.

Coaching the renegade Raiders, Madden compiled a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record and led Oakland to victory in Super Bowl XI after the 1976 season.

He became an even more impactful figure after he stopped coaching in 1979 at age 42, entertaining millions who tuned in to watch the NFL.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979 to 2009.

"People always ask: Are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?" he said when he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I’m a coach, always been a coach."

NFL players and coaches pay tribute to John Madden

In the "All Madden" documentary, former players such as Brett Favre, Howie Long, Lawrence Taylor and Troy Aikman pay tribute to the greatness of John Madden.

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo.

The pair moved to FOX in 1994, the network's first season broadcasting the NFL, and Madden stayed with FOX through Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002.

"We are heartbroken by the passing of our great friend, colleague and cornerstone John Madden," said Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports. "On behalf of the entire FOX Sports family — past, present and future — we will forever be part of John’s team.

"We are all better for having known him, one of the greatest coaches and broadcasters of all time. John is an icon, who will live on forever in our hearts and memories. Our thoughts and prayers are with Virginia, Mike, Joe and the entire Madden family."

Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing.

"For me, TV is really an extension of coaching," Madden wrote in "Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!)."

"My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers."

Madden was also the name behind the hugely popular sports video game, "Madden NFL Football."

"I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more," Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Madden's career was celebrated in the recent FOX Sports documentary "All Madden."

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

Dozens of NFL players, coaches and figures were interviewed for the documentary, and "one thing that prevails is the level of awe across the board, from those of a similar era, those who played during his commentary heyday and more recent players, including Lamar Jackson, starstruck because of the ever-increasing popularity of one of the greatest video game franchises in history," FOX Sports' Martin Rogers wrote last week.

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in Madden's first year with the team. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

"Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that," Madden once said. "Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’"

The pinnacle of his career came in 1977, when Oakland won it all with a 32-14 romp against Minnesota in Super Bowl XI.

"Players loved playing for him," Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell said. "He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play."

Here's how the sports world reacted to the news of Madden's death:

The Associated Press and FOX Sports' Martin Rogers contributed to this report.