John Madden's NFL career: Which teams did legendary HC coach?
John Madden's sudden and unfortunate death on Tuesday sent shockwaves not just through the NFL but around the world. Madden was one of the most prominent figures in the NFL from 1969 through 1978 as a head coach.
After retiring, Madden became the only commentator to work for CBS, FOX, ABC, and ESPN. His final step in creating his legacy was starting his iconic video game franchise, Madden, with EA Sports.
But Madden's tenure as the Oakland Raiders head coach is a time many will remember forever.
A coaching legend. A broadcasting icon. Beloved by football fans everywhere.
Remembering John Madden. https://t.co/6jbIl1kdZq
John Madden's Super Bowl glory with Oakland Raiders
John Madden was the coach who took the Oakland Raiders to another level starting in 1969. He began his professional coaching career as a linebackers coach for the Raiders in 1967 and 1968. John Rauch left the Raiders after losing in Super Bowl II, which opened the door for Madden to get the job.
At the time of his hiring, he was the youngest head coach in NFL history at the age of 33. That was a record that stood until a 32-year-old David Shula became head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992.
John Madden was a remarkable leader who earned the respect of his players. Madden was only in the NFL as a player for one year on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad. But that didn't stop him from learning the ins and outs of the game and becoming a hall-of-fame-worthy coach.
The results were astonishingly successful for Madden. His team went 12-1-1 in his first year as head coach. The worst season of his career was a 9-7 record, which speaks for itself.
John Madden’s *worst* record in 10 years of coaching the Raiders was 9-7.
The crowning achievement of his coaching career was being victorious in Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings by a scoreline of 32-14. The Raiders were 13-1 that season and deserved the victory.
Madden retired at the age of 42 after the 9-7 season due to burnout and health concerns. Afterward, Madden's second act began, and he commentated games from 1979 through the end of the 2008 season.
His pairing with Pat Summerall stands to this day as one of the most iconic broadcast duos in sports history.
RIP John Madden, who managed to have a second act so compelling, it made coaching a Super Bowl champion a footnote on his career. Nobody did more to explain football to the average fan, or to bring the joy of the NFL into every broadcast.
Save a turducken leg for the man.
Sportskeeda mourns alongside the NFL community for the sudden passing of John Madden. Madden's documentary, All Madden, will be telecast on Fox Sports on Wednesday at 9:00 PM EST and 10:30 PM EST.