Photo: Robert B. Stanton
One of the NFL's most beloved ambassadors has died.
John Madden, the Super Bowl-winning Pro Football Hall of Fame coach, legendary commentator, and popular video namesake has died at the age of 85, the National Football League confirmed in an official statement.
The NFL said Madden passed away unexpectedly Tuesday morning.
"Nobody loved football more than Coach," Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on behalf of the league. "Hewasfootball. 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 led the then-Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl XI victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 1977 and retired in 1978 with a 103-32-7 career coaching record and a 76.3% winning percentage, the highest in NFL history.
The Las Vegas Raiders released the following statement regarding Madden's death:
"The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden. 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."
Several other notable names in the football world shared personal stories of the legendary coach and broadcaster amid news of his passing Tuesday evening.
After his retirement from coaching, Madden went on to a legendary broadcasting career as the first NFL color analyst to contribute to all four major networks: CBS (1979-93), FOX (1994-2001), ABC (2002-05), and NBC (2006-08), before retiring ahead of the 2008 season.
Madden is also the namesake ofEA Sports' popularMadden NFL Football video game franchise, initially lending his voice and likeness to the series in 1988.
Madden was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his coaching career in 2006.
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