John Madden, Hall Of Fame Oakland Raiders Coach & NFL Broadcast Legend, Dies at 85

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Legendary former Oakland Raiders head coach and iconic NFL broadcast commentator John Madden died Tuesday morning at age 85, according to National Football League officials.

The NFL released a statement Tuesday afternoon confirming Madden’s passing.

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“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell 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.”

The statement continued: “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.”

The Raiders also issued a statement following Madden’s passing. “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,” the team said.

Born in 1936, Madden grew up in Daly City and played two seasons of college football at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

As the head coach for the renegade Oakland Raiders, Madden became only the second person to hold the position after Raiders General Manager and original head coach Al Davis and John Rauch, taking the job in 1969 at the age of 32. At the time, he was the youngest person to become a head coach in professional football.

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Madden would compile a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record, leading the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI in 1977 against the Minnesota Vikings after a 13-1 regular season.

Madden would become the youngest coach to reach 100 career regular-season victories, a record he racked up in only ten full seasons of coaching at the age of 42. He remains the coach with the most wins in Raiders history.

Health issues — largely from a nervous stomach — and a fear of flying helped contribute to an early retirement from coaching.

Madden became an even more impactful figure in the broadcast booth, entertaining millions who tuned in to NFL football. He also was the name behind the hugely popular sports video game, “Madden NFL Football.”

In 2006, Madden was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

Throughout his life, Madden continued to have ties to the Bay Area, living in Pleasanton and having a daily sports segment on KCBS Radio.

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Memorial service information will be announced when available.