[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E23-E24]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOHN MADDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DINA TITUS

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 11, 2022

  Ms. TITUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy 
of one of football's greatest icons, John Madden. First, I would like 
to extend my sincere condolences to Virginia, Joseph, Michael, and the 
entire Madden family on the loss of their beloved husband, father, and 
grandfather who left such an indelible mark on our Las Vegas Raiders 
and the American football landscape. John Madden once said, ``If you 
think about it, I've never held a job in my life. I went from being an 
NFL player to a coach to a broadcaster. I haven't worked a day in my 
life.'' While he may not have felt he worked a day in his life, Mr. 
Madden certainly accomplished a lot and helped others do the same.
  As a young man, he recognized the importance of an education and 
utilized his football prowess to pursue his dreams. His grit and 
determination on both the offense and defense at Cal Poly were 
recognized by pro scouts and he was drafted into the National Football 
League (NFL). Unfortunately, his professional playing time was cut 
short by injuries, but this was only the first step in a stellar 
career.
  Initially hired as a defensive coach, after two years with the 
Raiders organization he was promoted to head coach at 32 years of age, 
making him the youngest NFL coach ever to lead a team. Over the next 
decade, his Raiders teams personified owner Al Davis's motto, ``Just 
win, baby.'' Under Madden's inspired leadership, the Raiders won seven 
Western Division titles and made eight playoff appearances in 10 years. 
Mr. Madden's team defeated the Minnesota Vikings led by Fran Tarkenton, 
32-14, in Super Bowl XI, when he cleared the Raider bench to be sure 
every active player saw game action. Afterwards, Madden was memorably 
carried off the field on his players' shoulders and commented, ``I'll 
never take off the Super Bowl ring. It's something I will always 
cherish.'' Along with owner Davis, five of the Raider players would 
later be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Madden would join 
them in 2006. Today he still holds the highest winning percentage of 
any coach who has won 100 or more games.
  Mr. Madden's players respected his vision, elevating their play and 
creating a style all their own. They raised the competitive level of 
the game and set the standard that many teams still try to emulate 
today. Their loyal fans, Raider Nation, also personify defiance, 
struggle, and the will to win. During his tenure he also made great 
strides in diversifying the

[[Page E24]]

game, working with scouts to find minority talent where many had not 
searched before and providing new avenues to stardom that many had not 
dreamed possible.
  Following his retirement in 1979, Madden entered the broadcast booth. 
He had a way with words that synched perfectly with his longtime play-
by-play partners, Pat Summerall and Al Michaels. Mr. Madden brought an 
astute balance to their relationships in the booth, redefining the 
color commentator role for all sports and painting a picture the 
audience could truly understand that added to their game watching 
experience.
  Coach Madden once noted he wished to live out the story of one of his 
favorite books, Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John 
Steinbeck. Mr. Madden's fear of flying made this dream possible, as he 
crisscrossed our country by bus during the season to ensure he was able 
to call games in person from coast to coast. Traveling around the 
country in the ``Madden Cruiser,'' he connected with countless football 
fans all over the United States. Many of the Americans he met along the 
way had been introduced to the game of football by his booming voice on 
TV or his namesake video game; and Madden was always generous with his 
time, sharing stories with fans of all ages.
  John Madden's legacy will live on in the words spoken by Raiders' 
owner Mark Davis as he lit the torch at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas 
on December 28, 2021, ``The fire that burns the brightest in the 
Raiders Organization is the will to win.''

                          ____________________