John Madden
Legendary Raiders coach and broadcasting icon.
John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American professional football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, leading them to eight playoff appearances, seven division titles, seven AFL/AFC Championship Game appearances, and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI. Never having a losing season, Madden's regular-season winning percentage (.759) is among the highest for NFL head coaches who coached at least 100 games. He is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.
- role
- Head Coach / Broadcaster
- affiliation
- Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
- tenure
- 1969–1978
- championships
- Super Bowl XI Champion
- hall_of_fame
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006)
- legacy_title
- The Madden Era
Lore & Background
After retiring from coaching, Madden was a color commentator for NFL telecasts from 1979 to 2009 and won 16 Sports Emmy Awards. Madden appeared on all four major American television networks, providing commentary for games broadcast by CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC. He also lent his name, expertise, and commentary to the Madden NFL video game series, which became the best-selling American football video game franchise. Madden was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
In Their Own Story
The Oakland Coliseum lights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the sideline where Madden paced in his silver and black jacket. He gripped a play card tightly, eyes scanning the field for any hesitation from his defense against the opposing offense. The crowd roared like a distant ocean as he shouted instructions to his coordinators, his voice cutting through the cold January air with unmistakable authority. In that moment, the weight of the franchise rested squarely on his shoulders.
Reader's Guide
Madden is still the coach with the most wins in Raiders history. He never had a losing season as a head coach. His overall winning percentage, including playoff games, ranks second in league history behind Guy Chamberlin and is the highest among those who coached 100 games.
Did You Know?
- Madden was drafted in the 21st round (244th overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958 but never played a regular-season game due to injury.
- He won his only Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XI, defeating the Minnesota Vikings 32–14.
- At age 32 when hired by the Raiders in 1969, Madden was not the youngest head coach in AFL/NFL history; that distinction belongs to Harland Svare (age 30) or John Rauch (age 31).
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