Madden, who went down in NFL history as a coach and broadcaster, will be honored during each of the three Thanksgiving games in 2025.
From coach to broadcaster to legend: Honoring John Madden 4 years after his passing
John Madden is being honored by the NFL on Thanksgiving, as part of the league’s annual Thanksgiving Day tribute to the legendary football coach and broadcaster.
Madden tributes to include special coin
The “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration”, which is being held for the second time, will commemorate the Minnesota native in a number of ways during the day’s three NFL regular-season games.
Players will wear a patch featuring a silhouette of Madden, and “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” stencils will be placed on the sidelines. The tributes will also include the use of a coin bearing a silhouette of Madden for the coin toss. He will be on the heads side, while a six-legged turducken will be on the tails side.
Three years since Madden’s death
Madden, who serenaded NFL audiences for over three decades as a pioneer broadcaster, calling 20 Thanksgiving games during his career, passed away of undisclosed causes in December 2021, at the age of 85.
“No place I would rather be on Thanksgiving”
As a broadcaster, he was best known for his easy-access explanations of the game, employing a charismatic, catchphrase-heavy commentating style.
During one Thanksgiving Day broadcast, Madden memorably said: “There’s no place that I would rather be today on Thanksgiving than right here, right now at a football game. There’s just certain things that go together: the turkey, the family, tradition and football.”
Successful coach
As a head coach, Madden was a Super Bowl winner during a decade-long tenure in charge of the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s and 70s. With the Raiders, he had a record of 103-32-7; his win percentage of .759 remains unmatched by any other coach with more than 100 games on the sidelines.
Face of legendary video game
Madden was also famous worldwide for being the face, namesake and voice of one of the most influential video games of all time. The first edition of “John Madden Football” came out in 1988, and new versions of “Madden” continue to be released on a yearly basis.
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