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Cowboys' Jerry Jones: No One 'Lived a More Beautiful Football Life Than John Madden'
December 29, 2021
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones released a statement following the death of NFL legend John Madden on Tuesday, saying he wasn't aware of "anyone who has made a more meaningful impact" on the NFL than Madden and didn't know anyone "who loved the game more."
The NFL announced Tuesday that Madden had died unexpectedly at the age of 85.
"Nobody loved football more than Coach," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a statement. "He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today."
Different generations of football fans knew different iterations of Madden. There was the Hall of Fame coach for the Oakland Raiders who led the team to eight playoff appearances in his 10 years as a head coach and a Super Bowl title in the 1976 season.
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoJohn Madden's .759 win percentage as a head coach is still the highest in NFL history (min. 100 games).<br><br>All 103 of his career wins came with the Raiders, the most by any head coach in franchise history. <a href="https://t.co/OsitAyGhqI">pic.twitter.com/OsitAyGhqI</a>
There was the legendary broadcaster, whose exuberance, passion and knowledge for the game paired perfectly with his longtime play-by-play partner, the understated Pat Summerall. You learned when you watched one of their broadcasts, but you also had fun.
And his name is part of videogame lore. His Madden series of football games is one of the most successful and iconic franchise in the history of the platform.
Vince Young @VinceYoung10R.I.P Legendary Coach Madden it was a honor to meet you and to be on the front cover of my favorite game of all time Madden!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nfl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nfl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/titanup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#titanup</a> 🏈🏈 so many memories playing Madden growing up! <a href="https://t.co/QDpdZrFcUb">pic.twitter.com/QDpdZrFcUb</a>
Suffice to say, there was no shortage of tributes paid to Madden on Tuesday:
Dan Rather @DanRatherFew approached life with the joy of legendary football coach & broadcaster John Madden. A colleague at CBS, he was a gentleman with a boisterous sense of humor. On the sidelines & in the booth, this voluble mountain of energy was a trailblazer. A golden era ends with his passing.
Madden was football royalty—plain and simple. You can't tell the story of the NFL without dedicating a chapter to his legacy.