(AP) — Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster John Madden, whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died unexpectedly Tuesday morning, the NFL said. He was 85.
Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.
He became an even more impactful figure after he stopped coaching at age 42, entertaining millions who tuned in to NFL football. He also was the name behind the hugely popular sports video game, “Madden NFL Football.”
Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.
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