The legendary John Madden, who coached the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship before becoming a celebrated broadcaster and having a wildly popular video game named after him, started his career in coaching at Allan Hancock College in Santa Barbara County.
Madden died Tuesday at the age of 85, the NFL announced.
“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. 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.”
Madden’s first coaching job was as an assistant football coach at Hancock in 1960. The Bulldogs went undefeated that year and won the state championship. Two years later, he was named the head coach and guided the Bulldogs to a conference title in 1963.
Madden also taught at Hancock. He had a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he also played football.
“Coach Madden was a very special part of the Hancock football history which players and coaches remember fondly,” said AHC Athletic Director Kim Ensing. “Our hearts are heavy, and we express our sincere condolences to his family.”
Madden left Hancock for San Diego State, where he was hired as a defensive assistant. He joined the Oakland Raiders as a linebacker coach in 1967 and was named head coach two years later at the age of 32.
He coached the Raiders for 10 years and guided them to a Super Bowl XI victory in 1976, a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
From 1969 to 1978, Madden never had a losing season and compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record. He was the youngest coach in NFL history to eclipse the 100-win mark at the age of 42.
He remains the winningest coach in Raiders history. He also holds the best winning percentage by an NFL head coach (minimum of 10 seasons) at .759.
“The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden,” the Raiders said in a statement. “Few individuals meant as much to the growth and popularity of professional football as Coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable.”
After retiring from coaching, Madden became the shining star of football broadcasting and later the face of one of the most successful sports video games of all time.
EA Sports, the maker of the “Madden” football video game series expressed its sorrow and appreciation of John Madden.
“Today, we lost a hero. John Madden was synonymous with the sport of football for more than 50 years,” EA Sports said in a statement. “His knowledge of the game was second only to his love for it, and his appreciation for everyone that stepped on the gridiron. A humble champion, a willing teacher, and forever a coach. Our hearts and sympathies go out to John’s family, friends, and millions of fans. He will be greatly missed, always remembered, and never forgotten.”
As a broadcaster, Madden’s lively delivery won him critical acclaim and 14 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Event Analyst.
Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Coach Madden,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “Few, if any, have had as great an impact on the sport of professional football on so many different levels as Coach Madden. He was first and foremost a coach. He was a coach on the field, a coach in the broadcast booth and a coach in life.
“He was dearly loved by millions of football fans worldwide. While it’s a very sad day, it’s also a day we should celebrate the life of a man who brought joy through the game of football to millions.”
