From CBSsports.com…
he NFL lost one of its biggest legends Tuesday with the unexpected passing of John Madden, 85, the retired Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster. But Madden’s legacy will live on. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it best, in remembrance, on Tuesday: John Madden was football — an icon of the sport, a mentor of the game, a voice for generations.
Here’s a timeline of Madden’s career as a titan of the industry:
College days
Born in Minnesota and raised in California, Madden starred in high school football before playing offensive and defensive line at the College of San Mateo. He eventually got a scholarship from Oregon alongside friend and future USC and Rams coach John Robinson, bounced to Grays Harbor College after a knee injury resulted in a redshirt season, then finally landed with Cal Poly, where he earned all-conference honors as an offensive tackle.
