John Madden was head coach of Raiders and won Superbowl. On Sunday, teams throughout the league held a moment of silence to commemorate Madden before their Week 17 games. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson wore custom cleats, and all Raiders players had a “JM” decal on their helmets. Buffalo Bills wideout Stefon Diggs also sported Madden kicks. When the news hit social media waves that the sports icon had passed away, tribues swarmed in to honor the sportscast vet.
#Patriots hold a moment of silence for the late John Madden #ForeverNE pic.twitter.com/Dpo74pq945
— Matt Sottile (@MSottileTV) January 2, 2022
FOX and CBS also paid tribute to the late broadcaster with separate on-air tributes ahead of their afternoon slate of games. Fox Sports broadcasters wore custom varsity jackets that featured an “All-Madden” path above the heart. An NFL logo fused with Madden’s silhouette was present in the top right corner of the screen on Fox telecasts; it usually says “Fox|NFL.”
Viewers will see a nod to John Madden on its in-game bug today during the first quarter. It usually says Fox NFL.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) January 2, 2022
Here’s an example: pic.twitter.com/qMjELhpLoP
The high vibe Raiders coach was highly respected and sought after by the players for his nod of approval. Besides being an inspiration for different generations for his contribution to the game as a head coach, broadcaster, and eventually face of the popular video game, Madden has also been a known survivor. Period.