FOR millions of Americans Hall of Fame coach John Madden was the face of football.
The Superbowl winner became synonymous from the EA Sports game named after him and enjoyed a 30-year TV career.
But for Madden – who died aged 85 on Tuesday morning – he was always a coach first.
“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy” said Madden when he was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of fame.
“I’m a coach, always been a coach.”
In that role he became the youngest head coach in pro football when he was hired to coach the Raiders, leading them to victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI and finished his career with a 103-32-7 record.
And he has the all-time highest winning percentage among all coaches who won at least 100 games.
Madden had played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.
Most read in The Sun
FINISH THE JOB 
Brits urged to get boosted NOW to save country from January restrictions
Spanish newspaper jokes that Ronaldo has 'offered himself to Barcelona'
EastEnders fans all say the same thing as boozing Linda forgets who Janine is
Jeremy Clarkson devastates fans with Diddly Squat farm shop announcement
He was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career.
Instead, Madden – who was raised in Daly City, California – got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.
Follow our John Madden live blog for the very latest news and updates
Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros.
He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.
But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 – in great part because of his fear of flying – that made Madden truly a household name.
He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts and entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom” and “Doink” during games.
And he was the preeminent television sports analyst covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.
Madden also became the namesake of the famous “Madden” video game franchise, one of the most successful sports video game franchises of all time.
After the 2008 NFL season, Madden retired from broadcasting.
He had won 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality and covers 11 Super Bowls between 1979 and 2009.
“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement following the news of his death.
“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."
Source: Read Full Article
