Hall of Fame football coach John Madden has died at 85, NFL says

Mr Madden died ‘unexpectedly’ on Tuesday morning, the NFL says. He was 85

Former Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden speaks about former quarterback Ken Stabler in 2015 (AP)

John Madden, the legendary football coach and commentator, has died at age 85.

In a statement, the National Football League said Mr Madden died “unexpectedly” on Tuesday morning.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a tweet. “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.”

Mr Madden first became famous for his stellar coaching career, for which he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. From 1969 to 1978, he led the Oakland Raiders as head coach, culminating in their Super Bowl XI victory in 1977.

But it was the next chapter of Mr Madden’s career, as a sports broadcaster and commentator, that he is perhaps best known for. For all four major networks, the former coach explained and dramatized football with his effusive voice, humor, and sound effects.

Mr Madden’s talent for narrating his sport then led him to success in an unexpected arena, as the face and voice of the popular video game “Madden NFL.” The game has been marketed since 1988, and has sold hundreds of millions of copies.

That game reached countless Americans who mourned his passing on Tuesday – and not just those involved in football.

“The thing I keep thinking about with John Madden’s passing is how growing up, some of my closest friendships were forged playing the video game with his name on it,” the writer Clint Smith tweeted. “In this interesting way, his name is synonymous with feeling a sense of community. Thinking of his family today.”

But most important of all, Mr Goodell said on Tuesday, Mr Madden was a family man.

“On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” Mr Goodell said. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.”

Mr Madden’s cause of death has not been announced. The NFL said it would announce plans for a memorial service in the near future.