Super Bowl XVI in 1982 marked a special moment. It wasn’t just the first appearance for the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl; it was also the debut of the legendary former Oakland Raiders head coach, John Madden, as a broadcaster alongside Pat Summerall.
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Madden, celebrated as one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, made his mark during his tenure with the Raiders from 1969 to 1978. Remarkably, he never had a losing season and also clinched a Super Bowl XI victory. However, in 1978, due to deteriorating health from an ulcer condition, John Madden stepped away from coaching.
Surprisingly, he initially hesitated about a broadcasting career. Despite his reluctance, he ended up calling his first game in September 1979, a match between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. That was the moment his iconic “Boom!” and “Bam!” resonated with football fans all around the country, and there was no turning back.
By the 1981 season, Madden’s popularity had soared, leading to the opportunity to broadcast his first Super Bowl game with CBS. As the Bengals and the 49ers geared up for kickoff, Madden, expressing his excitement, started the game, stating, “I have goosebumps all over.”
However, right from the start of the game, the 49ers seized control, leading 20-0 by halftime. The Bengals struggled against the 49ers’ strong defense. The second half saw a comeback from the Bengals, but they fell short, losing the game 21-26. Notably, this marked John Madden’s debut Super Bowl as a broadcaster and the beginning of quarterback Joe Montana’s impressive run of four Super Bowl wins.
Madden’s partnership with Pat Summerall in the commentary box became a special chapter in NFL history. They first teamed up in 1981 and continued their collaboration until 2002. After Summerall’s retirement, Madden joined forces with another legend, Al Michaels. While Michaels is hailed as the greatest play-by-play announcer of all time, Madden’s color commentary was equally celebrated as the best in the business.
How Did John Madden Become the Face of the Madden NFL Video Game?
The NFL video game we know as Madden almost had a different face. When the creators were deciding who would represent the game, John Madden wasn’t their first pick. The founder of the video game company, Electronic Arts (EA) — Trip Hawkins, initially wanted legendary quarterback Joe Montana to be the pitchman.
However, Montana couldn’t be involved with Madden during that time because of a deal he had with another video game console maker, Atari. Another candidate, Joe Kapp, had his own demands, asking for royalties. In the end, John Madden finally became its face. Madden, a legendary coach and analyst, was impressed with Hawkins’ background, as he had attended Harvard and worked at Apple. It took him a few minutes to know his background and, Madden agreed to be part of the project.
Initially, the game was planned to be a seven-on-seven competition because of the limitations of computer technology back then. However, Madden insisted on making the game as authentic as possible. He didn’t want to be on the cover of a game that didn’t truly represent the sport.
This insistence on authenticity played a crucial role in shaping the Madden NFL video game franchise into the realistic and popular series that it is today. In 1988, the inaugural version of the game hit the shelves, and four decades later, Madden NFL has sold 130 million copies. The name “Madden” has become a timeless legacy, etched in the hearts of fans across generations.
