John Madden

The National Football League announced the death of legendary football coach and sportscaster John Madden. According to the NFL, Madden died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning. He was 85. Madden began his coaching career in the NFL in 1967 as the then-Oakland Raiders line backer coach. In 1969, he was promoted to the teams head coach. At the age of 32, he became the NFL's youngest head coach at the time. As a head coach, Madden posted 103 wins, 32 losses and seven ties during 10 seasons with the Raiders. Madden and the Raiders won Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings in 1977. John Earl Madden was born in Austin, Minn., on April 10, 1936, the oldest of three children, and the only son, of Earl and Mary (Flaherty) Madden. His father was a mechanic. He book-ended an unfulfilling year at the University of Oregon with stays at two community colleges, the College of San Mateo in California and Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Wash., before transferring to Cal Poly, where he would meet his future wife, Virginia Fields. There his prowess on the offensive line attracted the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the 21st round of the 1958 draft. Madden never played for the Eagles; a serious knee injury quashed his pro prospects. Madden and his wife had two sons, Joseph and Michael, and a number of grandchildren.