Anyone who knows anything about football will know the name John Madden. This popular football coach started out with a scholarship at the University of Oregon, moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958. Unfortunately, double knee injuries ended his football career before it could get going. Not one to give up on his favourite game, however, Madden quickly moved into the field of coaching and commentary, eventually finding success as one of the sport’s most iconic figures. The recipient of 14 Sports Emmy Awards, Madden’s name has been lent to the hugely popular video game series Madden NFL.
John Madden first coached only the linebackers in the Oakland Raiders, but was pushed into the head coach position a year later when he was only 32 years old. He is often spoken of as the finest coach the team has ever had. He led them to a Super Bowl win, and the most wins overall for the teams. In all of those years, he never coached a losing team.
He moved to sports commentating and analysis in 1979. Until his retirement in 2008, he covered football for ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. Throughout all of his roles, John Madden became well known and liked for his exuberant and expressive style – his exciting comments accompanied many Thanksgiving day football games throughout the years. Madden has taken home 14 sports Emmy Awards in recognition of his talents.
There is more to John Madden than just football, however. He stretched his comedic muscles on the radio, appeared in various films such as Stephen King’s Christine, Little Giants, and The Replacements. He plays himself in the popular Madden NFL video games, and has appeared in many different advertisements, cartoon episodes, and even music videos. Now, you can even download him as an app, and see his bronze Hall of Fame bust chat with you about football.
