The game of football has lost a great personality.
Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and legendary broadcaster John Madden passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday morning, the NFL announced. He was 85 years old.
"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.
"No one loved football more than the coach. He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will always be indebted to him for what he made football." and what the NFL is today."
Madden spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Oakland Raiders and led the franchise to its first championship with a win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. From 1969 to 1978, Madden never saw a losing season in his head coaching career and compiled a 103–32–7 regular-season record. He was the youngest coach in NFL history when he achieved the feat at age 42, and remains the most winning coach in Madden Raiders history. He also holds the best win percentage by an NFL head coach (minimum of 10 seasons) at .759.
"The Raiders family is deeply saddened by the passing of the great John Madden," the Raiders said in a statement. "Few individuals have meant the growth and popularity of professional football as coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable."