John Madden has called it quits after a 30-year broadcasting career. For football fans of my generation, Madden and Pat Summerall were the NFL.
I mean, Al Michaels is one of the all-time best (and he and Madden are great together), but Summerall’s measured baritone and Madden’s emphatic analysis are part of the soundtrack of my teens and 20s.
Much has been made of Madden’s everyman approach, and I think that’s part of what is endearing. You may not like his analysis or his style, but you can’t help but like Madden the guy. He never considered himself a superstar above the masses, even in 10 years as an NFL head coach or his 30 years in the broadcast booth.
Like most announcers who are into their 70s, I thought Madden was slipping over the past few years. But at least he had the good sense to realize that it was time to go, and in doing so he goes out on top.
Congrats, John. Enjoy being a husband and grandfather. Sundays in the fall will never sound the same.