John Madden, legendary Oakland Raiders coach and television commentator, dies

New York — John Madden, The Hall of Fame coach turned television commentator, whose exuberant style combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the NFL. He was 85 years old.

Coaching the Oakland Raiders, Madden compiled a stellar record of 103 wins, 32 losses and seven draws in regular season games and led his team to victory in the Super Bowl in the 1976 season, but fear of flying helped. to decide to retire very early.

He became an even more impressive figure after he stopped coaching at 42 years of age, entertaining millions of people who tuned in to NFL football.

Madden entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout the games; He was a ubiquitous publicist who sold restaurants, hardware stores, and beer; became the face of Madden NFL Football, one of the most successful sports video games of all time; and he was a very successful book author.

Above all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for the better part of three decades winning 16 Emmy Awards. Unprecedented for a sports analyst who covered 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?” said when he was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

“I am a coach, I have always been a coach,” he said.

He began his broadcasting career on CBS after leaving the NFL, in large part due to his fear of flying.

He and Pat Summerall became the network’s leading voice-over duo.

Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to work primetime games on ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 victory over Arizona in the Super. Bowl 2009.

Stocky and a bit sloppy, Madden earned a place in the heart of America with a pleasant, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and stars who think they were divas.

He was going from game to game in his own bus because he was claustrophobic and had stopped flying.

“Nobody loved soccer more than coach Madden. He was football, “NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

“It was an incredible sounding board for me and many others. 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. “

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” his colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often complicated game in practical terms.

“No one has made sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” broadcaster Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who has heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” As he analyzed a play, his love for the game was obvious.

“For me, television is really an extension of training,” wrote Madden in “Hey, wait a minute! (I wrote a book!) “.

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

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as linebackers coach in 1967, replacing John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, thus beginning a remarkable 10-year career in coaching.

The owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, expressed through a statement his sorrow for the death of John Madden.

“This is as great a loss as the legacy that John Madden created. A legacy of love. Love for family, for soccer and for life.

I don’t know of anyone who has had a more significant impact on the National Soccer League than John Madden, and I don’t know of anyone who has loved the game more.

When I think of a sports person who is worthy of the term “larger than life,” I have always thought of John. And I always will.

If you knew John, he made your life better. To me he was a trusted confidant, counselor, teacher, and most of all, a very dear friend. When he walked into the room, it was a better day. When he spoke, you listened and you learned. When he laughed, everyone in the room laughed and when he got on his bus to leave, you were always looking forward to his next visit.

Our hearts go out to Virginia, Joe, Mike and the grandchildren. He is survived by a wonderful family and literally millions of loved ones.

Life in soccer is a gift and a blessing. John lived all his days with dignity, kindness, and a sense of personal care for everything and everyone.

There is no one who has lived a more beautiful football life than John Madden. “