John Madden, legendary coach and TV personality, influenced three generations of fans

FILE – Former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden practices the electronic charting device Telestrator on Jan. 21, 1982, in Pontiac, Mich., for the upcoming NFL football Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

FILE – Fox broadcasters Pat Summerall, left, and John Madden stand in the broadcast booth at the Superdome before Super Bowl 36 on Feb. 3, 2002, in New Orleans. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File)

The football world has lost one of its biggest personalities.

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and announcer as well as the namesake for one of the most popular video games in history, has died at the age of 85.

As head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978, Madden amassed an astounding 103-32-7 record. Madden’s Raiders played in seven AFC championship games and won the Super Bowl in 1976.

Greg Carr played college football for Florida State and is the current head coach at North Marion High School. Carr remembers Madden calling Monday Night Football games as well as the Madden NFL video game.

“I was a big Madden video game player,” Carr said. “Those games were a way of life for me. I remember in college going to get the game on early release nights.”

“I also remember him calling Monday Night Football games,” he added.

After a successful run as Raiders’ head coach, Madden retired from the Raiders to pursue a broadcast career. He would find similar success in the booth.

FILE – Former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden practices the electronic charting device Telestrator on Jan. 21, 1982, in Pontiac, Mich., for the upcoming NFL football Super Bowl broadcast on CBS. Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 28, 2021, the league said. He was 85. The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause. (AP Photo, File)

Dunnellon head football coach Price Harris remembers the Thanksgiving games that Madden called for CBS.

“He made football fun,” Harris said. “Everybody wanted a turkey leg on Thanksgiving!”

The turkey leg tradition began in 1989, with Madden awarding the top performer from the annual Thanksgiving Day game with the Turkey Leg Award. The winner of the first ‘Turkey Leg’ was Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Reggie White. Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith won the ‘Leg’ after the 1990 game.

Madden quipped that he wished the turkey had six legs so that the award could go to Smith along with his five offensive linemen, who made it possible for Smith to run for so many yards.

John Westol, who has coached football and basketball at St. John Lutheran for over fifty years, remembers Madden as a coach but recalls him more fondly as an announcer and analyst.

“To me, Madden was bigger than life as a coach and even bigger when he worked with (longtime CBS broadcaster) Pat Summerall,” Westol shared. “He refused to take himself seriously and thusly, to me, was even more genuine as an announcer.”

Ocala Christian Academy head football coach Jim Pierce, who has coached youth football for over thirty years, remembers Madden for how he influenced not only his generation of coaches but younger fans with the Madden NFL video games.

“John Madden was a big man who cast a big shadow on football for many years,” Pierce said. “Madden won the Super Bowl in 1976, was an all-star announcer and promoted the top video game. He excelled in everything that he placed his hand to.”

“He was an inspiration to all who loved football,” he added.

Al Michaels was Madden’s broadcast partner on Monday Night Football. Michaels remembers the importance of Madden to the game.

“John Madden is as important as anybody in the history of football,” Michaels said in a 2013 New York Times interview. “Tell me somebody who did all of the things that John did and did them over this long a period of time.”

Madden would win sixteen Sports Emmys during his broadcast career and would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

John Madden’s life was football. Whether as a player, coach or analyst, Madden lived and breathed football.

“Coaching isn’t work,” Madden once said. “It’s a way of life. I’m not into gardening or any other hobbies. I don’t fish or hunt. I’m in football.”