John Madden: NFL coach, broadcaster and video game icon dies at 85
- Published
John Madden became the face of Madden NFL Football, one of the most successful sports video games ever
Legendary American Football coach and commentator John Madden has died at the age of 85, the National Football League (NFL) has announced.
The league said he died unexpectedly and did not give a cause.
Madden led the then-Oakland Raiders to their first Super Bowl victory in 1977 and became a hugely popular television analyst after retiring from coaching.
He later became the face of Madden NFL Football, one of the most successful sports video games ever.
"Nobody loved football more than Coach," 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."
Madden coached the Raiders from 1969 to 1978. He won Super Bowl XI when they went through the 1976 regular season with a 13-1 record.
He boasts the best winning percentage of NFL coaches who have taken charge of more than 100 games.
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But he will perhaps be best remembered for his three-decade career in commentary, after retiring from coaching at just 42.
Known for his unpretentious style, Madden travelled to games in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia. He also developed a fear of flying.
Many younger fans know him as the man who gave his name to Madden NFL, published by EA Sports since 1988. The video game became so influential that some players and coaches learned new tactics from playing it.
Madden NFL became renowned for its realistic gameplay. EA first approached Madden with the idea in 1984, but it took four years before he was finally satisfied with the game, insisting it had to be as realistic as possible.
John Madden won 16 Emmy Awards and covered 11 Super Bowls from 1979 to 2009. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
"People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?" he said when was elected to the Hall of Fame. "I'm a coach, always been a coach."