John Madden
Ex NFL Head Coach, Football Color Analyst, Author, & Entrepreneur
John Madden started his famed career as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and coached them from the years 1969-1978. He won one Super Bowl with the Raiders, Super Bowl XI. However, Madden is thought of most often in regards to his long career as a commentator, which he has made a career out of working for various networks. Madden's zany approach, relation to the game, and comical remarks have made him a favorite in the industry. Madden is also a big part of the video game, Madden NFL, which has been a top-selling game since it debuted in 1990. Each year, professional athletes, fans, gaming afficionados, and average citizens await it's release date to play with their favorite teams, complete with updated rosters, statistical analysis, and many new features each year. Madden NFL is among the best selling video games ever.
Many fans of John Madden will say his most memorable years were when he teamed with Pat Summerall. The popular duo worked together with the FOX network until 2002, when Madden left to do Monday Night Football with Al Michaels.
Madden is the author/co-author of several football-related books, including One Knee Equals Two Feet and Everything Else You Need to Know About Football (1987); The First Book of Football (1993); All Madden: Hey, I'm Talking Pro Football! (with Dave Anderson, 1996); John Madden's Ultimate Tailgating (with Peter Kaminsky, 1998) and the best-selling memoir Hey, Wait a Minute! I Wrote a Book! (1985).
Madden is also known for his fear of flying. This is due to a plane crash in 1960 where he lost several people close to him when a plane carrying the Caly Polytechnic football team and coaches suffered a deadly crash. Maden was only two years removed from the school as a graduate and a player on the team. Instead, Madden travels the country handling his business on a luxurious bus he dubbed "The Madden Cruiser."
2007 GridironTalk.com -