John Madden passed at age 85

[wallyuwl]

Him and Summerall were the best ever.

[texas]

Weird timing given the documentary or whatever that is that they've been advertising nonstop for the past month or so.

[Drj820]

i think its awesome they got the doc out before he passed. Most of the time that stuff comes after someone dies. Glad he got at least a week of shine before he went to Valhalla.

[Yoop]

When it came to football you succeeded as one of it's greatest teachers, both on and off the field, you've been missed since leaving broadcasting a doz years ago, R I P John Madden

[lulu]

What an icon of the game. I grew up when he was in the booth.

I often wonder if as an announcer he was that good or have we just gotten so micro critical of everything these days that we think the likes of Joe Buck & Troy Aikmen are just biased trash.

[Drj820]

What an icon of the game. I grew up when he was in the booth.

I often wonder if as an announcer he was that good or have we just gotten so micro critical of everything these days that we think the likes of Joe Buck & Troy Aikmen are just biased trash.

Safe to say Buck and Aikmen are just biased trash....

When compared to the great John Madden.

[RingoCStarrQB]

Him and Summerall were the best ever.

Yes they were. Both have been sorely missed. Wiki says Madden broadcasted from 1979 to 2008. He and Summerall broadcasted the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 1997.

[Backthepack4ever]

That doc was great. He seemed like a genuine good dude to everybody. Down to earth man.

RIP coach

[packman114]

I recorded the documentary and just watched it this morning. I remember all the stories about how he visited "regular" Americans as he traveled cross country. He was a large man with a small ego. Touched a lot of people in many ways and that's a great life. RIP and prayers to his family especially his sons who really had a special relationship with him. Much like my Dad and me.

[Raptorman]

Wow. I thought he was dead already. My bad.

Loved him in the booth. Maddenism's were the best. "The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. That's how it works".

[Drj820]

What an icon of the game. I grew up when he was in the booth.

I often wonder if as an announcer he was that good or have we just gotten so micro critical of everything these days that we think the likes of Joe Buck & Troy Aikmen are just biased trash.

i dont think complaints about aikman doing cowboy games or appearing biased are just because he is current and everyone has nostalgia for the "good ole days". There are plenty of current guys I dont complain about week after week like Jim Nantz, Al Michaels, and Mike Tirico.

[Raptorman]

One of my all-time favorites. "Mark Brunell usually likes to soak his balls before a rainy game."

[Crazylegs Starks]

Who could forget these classic Madden-isms:

“You got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”

"The fewer rules a coach has, the fewer rules there are for players to break."

"Don't worry about the horse being blind; just load the wagon. "

"BOOM!"

"WHAP!"

[go pak go]

What an icon of the game. I grew up when he was in the booth.

I often wonder if as an announcer he was that good or have we just gotten so micro critical of everything these days that we think the likes of Joe Buck & Troy Aikmen are just biased trash.

Safe to say Buck and Aikmen are just biased trash....

When compared to the great John Madden.

Oh Madden was probably the most biased announcer there was. It's jus that he loved our guy.

[go pak go]

I don't think there is a more important figure to an American sport besides Michael Jordan with basketball.

John Madden I truly believe grew the sport of football's popularity more than any single person in the game. Both from his announcing and especially his naming rights of the EA Sports game.

I honestly like the "new age" announcers of Tony Romo more, because I learn more, but the simplicity that Madden brought was just appealing. Moreover, you could absolutely tell the guy ADORED the game. He made people who didn't like football like football because they saw how much he liked football.

He was a complete nerd, geek, screaming teenage girl at a boy band concert, etc. etc. about the game of football.

[williewasgreat]

I think John Madden provided more insight into the game of football than any other commentator. He just did it in a really fun way. He was known as a very kind man with little to no ego. There are just not enough people like him in this world. RIP, John!

[German_Panzer]

Madden was way before my time. But if you die at 85 you did a lot right in your life. RIP.

[Crazylegs Starks]

I can't find the article now, but as I recall, EA Sports wanted to make the first Madden game 7-on-7, but John said he wouldn't put his name on it if it wasn't "real football". That delayed the game by almost 4 years! Supposedly, most of the plays were taken from his 1980 Raiders playbook.

[Labrev]

The Madden documentary was superb; I'm glad he got to look back on all his great achievements and all the lives he touched. R.I.P.

I have been imitating Madden's voice anytime I say "boom!" for so long that I almost forgot that that's why I say it like that.

[wallyuwl]

I don't think there is a more important figure to an American sport besides Michael Jordan with basketball.

John Madden I truly believe grew the sport of football's popularity more than any single person in the game. Both from his announcing and especially his naming rights of the EA Sports game.

I honestly like the "new age" announcers of Tony Romo more, because I learn more, but the simplicity that Madden brought was just appealing. Moreover, you could absolutely tell the guy ADORED the game. He made people who didn't like football like football because they saw how much he liked football.

He was a complete nerd, geek, screaming teenage girl at a boy band concert, etc. etc. about the game of football.

I actually think Madden was like Romo in the booth, re: telling technicals about the game. But he was also the most entertaining announcer ever at the same time. And I think Romo, for whatever reason, doesn't do as much technical stuff as he did his first year.