The NFL world lost a legend last week when John Madden passed away at the age of 85. The former coach, longtime broadcaster, and iconic video game namesake touched so many different generations of NFL fans during his time with the Raiders as well as broadcasting stints with CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC.
There was no shortage of tributes for Madden in the wake of his passing. Fox and FS1 re-aired the documentary All Madden throughout the week and Fox made it available for streaming/NFL Network rebroadcasts immediately.
As this weekend marked the first full slate of NFL games since Madden’s passing, teams across the league held a moment of silence to commemorate him before kickoff.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1477704100548464644
The Las Vegas Raiders, whom Madden coached between 1969 and 1978, leading them to a Super Bowl championship in 1977, honored him with a special decal on the back of their helmets.
https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1477673563599507458
Meanwhile, at least two NFL players personalized their cleats to honor Madden. While the NFL tends to be rather persnickety about personalized uniform touches, they might just let these special cleats from Stefon Diggs and DeSean Jackson slide.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1477686868527489026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Fox, for whom Madden worked between 1994 and 2001, honored the broadcasting legend by replacing the Fox logo with the Madden logo in their top-right bug during the first quarter of games on Sunday.
Altogether, it’s a testament to how much Madden meant to the NFL over so many decades and how much his impact has been felt across generations. For many different reasons, it’s hard to be an NFL fan and not know John Madden in some fashion, even if only as the name on a video game. The tributes are sure to continue rolling in throughout the day, into Monday night, and into the playoffs, to honor one of the voices most synonymous with the league and the sport.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.