John Madden used to call Andy Reid in the middle of games

If you ever wondered how John Madden experienced the NFL after his broadcasting career, he did so in the most John Madden way possible. From 2009 until his death in 2021, the legendary broadcaster and former Raiders head coach went into his office every Sunday.

Sam Farmer recently revealed in a feature piece for The Los Angeles Times on the legacy of Madden that the famed analyst would make his way to a family-owned production studio in a quiet business park, sit in a recliner, and watch all of the games in a darkened, yet spacious room.

There’s no mention of Madden tuning in for Scott Hanson’s seven hours of commercial-free football on RedZone, so we can only assume what his setup looked like. But based on the great lengths and detail that Madden would go to watch the NFL every Sunday, one would have to imagine that he had access to every game he wanted to have access to.

He also had access to Andy Reid. No, he didn’t have a direct line to the field to coach the former Philadelphia Eagles head coach (now with the Kansas City Chiefs) on what he was seeing. But that seemingly never prevented Madden from texting and calling Reid in-game.

According to Madden’s son, Mike, that wasn’t the only person he’d communicate with. His father would frequently speak with Roger Goodell throughout the course of any given Sunday. The difference here is that Goodell would actually pick up.

Madden knew he wouldn’t hear from Reid, as he contacted him in the middle of a game, but as his widow, Virginia, put it, Reid was his “go-to guy.” Reid would talk to him sometimes, but one would have to imagine that would happen postgame.

Imagine having a voicemail from John Madden asking why you did this instead of this.

“He’d call Andy in the middle of a game,” said Madden’s widow, Virginia. “I’d say, ‘You can’t do that.’ He’d say, ‘Well, he doesn’t have to answer.’ He might call or text him after a play. He did that a couple of times. Sometimes, Andy would talk to him. Andy was his go-to guy. He really loved Andy.”

In typical Madden fashion, his love for the game never faded—it only deepened. Whether he was analyzing plays from his recliner or offering advice to those still on the sidelines, Madden’s connection to the NFL was personal, relentless and deeply rooted in his affection for the sport.

Even though he was no longer in the broadcast booth, everyone he connected with felt his influence and passion, especially by Reid. Madden may no longer be with us, but his unique way of experiencing football will forever be part of his legendary legacy

[LA Times]