Legendary Raiders Coach and NFL Analyst John Madden Dies

John Madden, the exuberant erstwhile NFL broadcaster and beloved ex-coach of the Oakland Raiders whose sanction aboriginal became synonymous with a top-selling video game, has died. He was 85.

Madden, a Pleasanton nonmigratory who grew up successful Daly City, brought a caller level of property to some the NFL sideline and the broadcasting booth, with his animated verbal dependable effects – “Boom!” – and elemental yet colorful breakdowns of the enactment connected the field.

Madden ne'er got the accidental to play successful the National Football League due to the fact that of injuries, but successful 1969 astatine property 32, helium became the league’s youngest astatine the clip to beryllium hired arsenic a caput manager erstwhile Al Davis enactment him astatine the helm of the Raiders.

For Davis, it was a leap of religion to pat Madden. The 2 worked manus successful hand, gathering a powerhouse.

“I was with him each the time. We were successful the aforesaid office,” Madden erstwhile said astir moving with Davis. “We were perpetually together; we argued a lot. If I walked distant with anything, I’d accidental my thought is amended than your idea.”

Madden’s grit and swagger acceptable successful perfectly successful Oakland, and successful 10 seasons starring the Raiders, helium ne'er had a losing record, missed the playoffs lone doubly and won a Super Bowl aft the 1976 season.

A mates of years later, Madden retired from coaching astatine 42 and recovered his existent calling arsenic a colour expert with CBS. He went connected to enactment for the different 3 large networks, winning 16 Emmys altogether, earlier retiring aft 30 years successful the broadcast booth.

His sanction became possibly astir celebrated successful the video crippled manufacture aft Redwood City-based Electronic Arts came retired with its “Madden NFL” series, for which helium besides lends his voice. The crippled has sold much than 250 cardinal copies worldwide to the tune of $4 billion.

John Earl Madden was calved April 10, 1936, successful Austin, Minnesota, and his household soon moved to the Bay Area, settling successful Daly City. He attended Jefferson High School, wherever helium was a standout shot player.

He continued his acquisition and shot vocation astatine Cal Poly, and successful 1958 was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. But destiny intervened erstwhile Madden suffered a genu wounded successful grooming camp, and the remainder arsenic they accidental is history.

Madden lived successful Pleasanton during status and, until his last days, helium continued to beryllium a assemblage pillar. His yearly bocce shot tourney was ever filled with smiles and large names and ever came up immense with foundation donations.

“It is fun, and the camaraderie, conscionable seeing the people, friends, aged players and each that,” Madden erstwhile said of the bocce shot event. “And the different portion is the foundation piece. We’re doing immoderate good, we’re raising money.”

Madden is survived by his woman Virginia and 2 sons, Joseph and Michael.