Unless something unthinkable happens at EA Sports, John Madden will forever be synonymous with the hugely popular NFL video game series that has borne his name since 1988 – Madden.
He may have gained widespread recognition for his involvement in the video game; However, it was his achievements as a coach that put him in a position to support this. Madden was the youngest head coach in the NFL at the time of his appointment. He went on to win the Super Bowl, among other accomplishments that earned him a spot in the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.
John Madden Biography
John Madden was born to Mary Margaret (née Flaherty) and Earl Russell Madden on April 10, 1936 in Austin, Minnesota. However, he grew up in Daly City, a small town just south of San Francisco, California. His father worked as an auto mechanic while his mother was a housewife.
Madden attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Parish School and then Jefferson High School, where he was a football star. He graduated in 1954 and attended college at San Mateo for a year before receiving a football scholarship to the University of Oregon. However, Madden’s Oregon football career was cut short by a knee injury that required surgery. Eventually he lost his scholarship and returned to San Mateo in 1955. He transferred to Grays Harbor College the next year, but immediately transferred to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he completed the requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Masters in the same discipline.
After completing his education, John Madden was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1958 NFL draft with the 244th overall pick. Unfortunately, Madden never played a game of professional football as he sustained another knee injury in the preseason that pushed him into retirement. Then the opportunity presented itself to combine his love of football and teaching and he became a coach. In 1960 he took on the role of assistant coach at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria. Two years later he was promoted to head coach. That didn’t stop him leaving the position after a year to take on the role of defensive assistant coach at San Diego State University.
Madden previously spent three years back up the ladder in San Diego. This time he joined the NFL’s Oakland Raiders as linebacker coach. He was instrumental in achieving Super Bowl II that season. When head coach John Rauch left his position in 1969, the Raiders appointed him to the position, and he became arguably the best coach in franchise history.
Career Achievements
John Madden had never lost a season as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. He became the youngest manager to have 100 wins in regular time, a feat he accomplished in just 10 full seasons. John won Super Bowl XI in 1977 before retiring in 1978 to pursue a career in media. His awards include 16 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Events Analyst, the 1984 National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Award of the Year, and the 2002 Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.
His capital
John Madden is believed to have a net worthof $200 million. The Super Bowl winner made a large chunk of his fortune from his career as a coach and sportscaster. However, much of his wealth came from his association with EA Sports, the company that makes the Madden NFL video game.
Since 1988, Madden has lent his voice, personality and name to the video game series that has sold more than 43 million copies. It’s not clear what EA Sports originally paid him for, but around 2005 the company reportedly paid him $150 million to use his likeness and name permanently. Madden has other lucrative endorsement deals that have given him a wealthy lifestyle.
John Madden’s family life
On December 26, 1959, John Madden married his wife, Virginia Fields. Madden reportedly met her at a bar in Pismo Beach when he was a student at Cal Poly. At the time, Fields was a school teacher working on her own master’s degree.
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