Fans Mourn the Passing of NFL Legend John Madden

By Timothy Adams

The NFL world was rocked with the news that Hall of Famer John Madden passed away Tuesday morning. The 85-year-old Madden was a beloved figure in the NFL, and became iconic in the video game sphere for his Madden NFL franchise for EA Sports. Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on John Madden's death, acknowledging his 30+ year career in the sport. Understandably, fans and those connected to the NFL are coming out to show their love for John Madden, who had a tremendous impact on their lives. 

"On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families," Goodell said in a statement. "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."

The statement added, "Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. 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."

Cover photo by Kirby Lee/NFLPhotoLibrary via Getty

A Legend in Every Way

The NFL GameDay Twitter account for the TV program shared a message from host Rich Eisen, calling Madden a "legend in every way." Eisen praised Madden for being a coach, broadcaster, and innovator who could have reached the NFL Hall of Fame in all three categories.

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John Madden Was Also a Fan of Almonds

Sports Business Reporter Darren Rovell took the unorthodox approach of listing John Madden's business acumen when it came to almonds. While Madden made a fortune licensing his name for the popular Madden NFL video game franchise, he also invested in almond farms, buying several in California and earning extra millions in the process.

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The NFL Chronicles John Madden's Career

The NFL shared a five-and-a-half-minute tribute video for John Madden, chronicling his career as an NFL analyst and coach. The legend was the first broadcaster to work for all four major cable networks as he called NFL games. At the time, Madden was also the NFL's youngest head coach when he joined the Oakland Raiders in 1969 at the age of 32. Madden spent 10 seasons with the Raiders, winning a Super Bowl in 1976 with a 13-1 record.

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You'll Want to Catch the All Madden Documentary

FOX spent Christmas Day airing its All Madden documentary for fans, and a special re-airing will take place later tonight on FS1. FOX host Curt Menefee shared the news on Twitter after Madden's death, where he stated how happy he was that Madden was alive long enough to view the documentary and also receive tributes from those who participated.

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NFL Network Shares John Madden Memories

NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci joined NFL Total Access to share memories of John Madden and what he meant to him. "He was so dedicated to the sport of football and to his family," Mariucci said. "And to everything that was near and dear to him. We're going to miss him."

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What Was Your First Madden?

Younger NFL fans are probably more familiar with John Madden from his Madden football games. Originally titled John Madden Football, the first game debuted in 1988. It has since become the standard-bearer for NFL video games, as EA Sports host nationally-televised Madden NFL tournaments where competitors can win cash prizes. One of the game's highly-anticipated moments involves the unveiling of each year's cover athlete.

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RIP to the Legend

John Madden has become synonymous with the NFL. As Bleacher Reports details, his accomplishments are many: "10 seasons as Raiders HC; 112-39-7 overall record as HC; AFL champion; Super Bowl XI champion; 30 years of professional broadcasting; Madden NFL video game named after him."

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Pro Football Hall of Fame Remembers John Madden

John Madden was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in the Class of 2006. "The football world today is celebrating the life of John Madden, a man whose relentless passion for the game & unique career will leave an indelible mark on the sport forever. A member of the Class of 2006, Madden died Tuesday. He was 85," a tweet from the Pro Football Hall of Fame Twitter account reads.

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