NFL legend John Madden dies at 85
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John Madden. Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
John Madden, the legendary football coach and broadcaster, died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning, the NFL announced. He was 85.
The big picture: Madden was a Super Bowl-winning coach, renowned football analyst for CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC and the face of Madden NFL, a video game series that he endorsed and helped create.
- He won a Super Bowl with the then-Oakland Raiders in 1977, beating the Minnesota Vikings 32-14.
- He became a household name for a new generation of fans when EA Sports launched the John Madden Football video game in 1988, which has had annual releases since 1990.
By the numbers: Madden, who was named the Raiders' head coach in 1969, has one of the best winning percentages in NFL coaching history.
- He had a 103-32-7 record with the team for a .759 winning percentage. Under Madden, the Raiders made it to the postseason eight times in 10 seasons.
- Madden also won 16 Emmy Awards and covered 11 Super Bowls as a broadcaster but always considered himself first and foremost a coach.
For the record: "People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?" Madden said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- "I’m a coach, always been a coach," he said.
What they're saying: "Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
- "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."
The Raiders released a statement saying, "Few individuals meant as much to the growth and popularity of professional football as Coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable."
EA Sports said in a statement, "Today, we lost a hero. John Madden was synonymous with the sport of football for more than 50 years."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
