Achievement is earned through challenges. Being a well-known NFL player, sportscaster, and entrepreneur requires a lot of effort, but John Madden had achieved all his goals in his career.
Although John Madden had a successful coaching career in the NFL, he is now best remembered for his accomplishments after his retirement from playing. He became a highly regarded NFL analyst and eventually lent his name to the NFL Madden, which is one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time.
The Early Days of the Legend
John Madden, born on April 10, 936, was always a high achiever. He was born and raised in Austin, Minnesota. In pursuit of making ends meet for his family, John Madden’s father had to relocate to Daly City, California to work as an auto mechanic.
John Madden spent his adult life in the small town of San Francisco, where he grew up. He commenced his education in a Catholic school before transferring to Jefferson High School.
During his high school years, John Madden quickly rose through the ranks of the football team. John was a talented and dynamic young athlete who excelled on both the offensive and defensive lines. He was also a skilled baseball player.
John Madden’s Personal Life
John Madden has a deep affection for his spouse, Virginia Madden. Throughout Madden’s career, Virginia struggled to cope with having John around during the holidays.
John was unable to spend much time with his family, which strained his relationship with his sons. After retiring, he devoted his time to mend the bond with his family.
Joe and Mike are John and Virginia’s two sons, and they have a number of grandchildren. Virginia Madden began experiencing panic episodes in 1979.
Virginia began experiencing dizzy spells in her early 40s and ignored them for a while, but when they persisted, she decided to see her doctor.
A surgeon confirmed her doctor’s suspicions that she had a clogged artery. She only underwent surgery after John double-checked his win-loss record. The operation was a success.
His Initial Challenges Paved the Way to Success
Upon graduating from high school, he attended San Mateo College with the goal of pursuing a football career. After one season, he transferred to the University of Oregon to pursue his law degree while excelling in football simultaneously.
Madden’s playing career was cut short by the first of two significant injuries he sustained while at Oregon. He had to sit out most of the season due to knee surgery.
However, a knee injury he suffered in his first rookie minicamp prevented him from participating in the NFL. From 1960 to 1963, he served as a defensive coordinator at San Diego State University.
Within a few months of recovering from his knee injury, John Madden returned to San Mateo and played an entire season in the league.
Madden proved once again that he was a skilled professional athlete, solidifying his position as a powerful offensive lineman and earning all-conference honors.
While pursuing a Bachelor’s in Education, Madden also played as a catcher for the college baseball team. He earned his Master’s in Education in 1961.
The Start of Madden’s Career
A former quarterback presented Madden with some football videos and explained the game to him. Madden’s education degree began to merge with his football knowledge as he delved deeper into teaching. A coaching career seemed inevitable.
During that period, Madden coached under Don Coryell, a skilled tactician who Madden later credited with his success as an NFL coach.
However, from 1964 to 1966, he transitioned to Hancock Junior College as a defensive coordinator in Santa Maria, California, due to his growing reputation for his gameplay.
His Professional Journey
Al Davis appointed John Madden as the linebackers coach of the Oakland Raiders. In 1969, Davis resigned from the club, leaving Madden, who was only 32 years old at the time, to take over as head coach.
At 32 years old, John Madden became the youngest head coach in the history of the NFL when he took over as the head coach of the team in February.
John Madden is widely considered the greatest Raiders coach of all time. However, from 1969 to 1975, the team developed a reputation for losing important games.
All of that changed in 1976 when they won the AFC Championship against their long-standing rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went on to win the Super Bowl, defeating the Minnesota Vikings in 1977.
However, in 1979, coaching took a toll on John Madden’s health, prompting him to step down.
Madden felt emotionally drained and exhausted. He was ultimately diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer and sought to repair his fractured relationship with his sons.
As a Broadcaster
Shortly after retiring from coaching, John Madden embarked on a long and illustrious career as a sports commentator and analyst.
He went on to work for Fox, CBS, ABC, and NBC, as well as several smaller networks. He became one of the most sought-after television presenters in American sports, earning a multi-million dollar salary.
NBC even pledged to build Madden a “luxury train” to entice him to join their network.
Acting Career
When the television sitcom ‘Cheers’ approached him, Madden’s television career was virtually cut short. Madden disclosed that he was originally cast as ‘Coach,’ a bartender who was set to appear alongside Ted Danson’s character, Sam Malone.
Madden expressed his desire to remain on live television rather than risk an acting role and was reluctant to give up his beloved job of commentating on football games.
His Legacy
Since 1988, Madden has been the face (and voice) of EA Sports, the company behind the incredibly successful Madden video games.
John Madden lent his voice, persona, and identity to the Madden NFL video game franchise, which is distributed by EA Sports/Electronic Arts.
The series’ editions have always been top sellers, to the extent that they have even inspired TV shows promoting competition among hardcore gamers.
Madden views the video game as an educational tool. During initial planning meetings with Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins in 1984, Madden envisioned the application as a tool for training and testing strategies.
Despite retiring from broadcasting in 2009, Madden continues to lend his name and creative input to the series, which has become so renowned that he is more widely recognized as the face of Madden rather than as a Super Bowl-winning coach and analyst.
Where is John Madden Now?
In recognition of his exceptional coaching career, John Madden has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has also authored several books and retired from his broadcasting career.
