SPORTS

By Scooby Axson

John Madden, legendary football coach, analyst dead at 85

Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and broadcasting legend John Madden, whose voice became a running commentary for NFL viewers every football weekend for nearly 30 years, passed away December 2021.

Madden may have been known most recently for the popular football video games that bear his name, but he always knew what he wanted to be known as.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” Madden said after his election to the Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He was hired by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis in 1969 and at age 32 was given the reins to what became a storied franchise.

After stepping down from coaching at age 42 following the 1978 season, Madden worked as an analyst for CBS Sports and became known for his partnership with Pat Summerall starting in 1981.

He spent his final broadcasting years with Al Michaels on ABC's Monday Night Football from 2002-2005 and Sunday Night Football on NBC from 2006-2008.

Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and was the winner of 16 Sports Emmy awards for his broadcasting.

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