(Reuters) – Following is reaction to the death of John Madden, the Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders.
NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL
“Nobody loved football more than ‘Coach’. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
“Few individuals meant as much to the growth and popularity of professional football as Coach Madden, whose impact on the game both on and off the field was immeasurable.”
DAN RATHER, JOURNALIST
“Few approached life with the joy of legendary football coach & broadcaster John Madden. A colleague at CBS, he was a gentleman with a boisterous sense of humor. On the sidelines & in the booth, this voluble mountain of energy was a trailblazer. A golden era ends with his passing.”
DICK VITALE, HALL OF FAME BASKETBALL SPORTSCASTER
“OMG the greatest analyst of all time of any sport passed today – JOHN MADDEN – In the world of TV it doesn’t get any better than Coach Madden – legend – icon & GOAT / Pls May Coach Madden RIP!”
BILLIE JEAN KING, FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE TENNIS PLAYER
“Hall of Fame #NFL coach, broadcaster, and one of the greatest ambassadors for football, John Madden, has passed away. I had the privilege of meeting him, & my heart goes out to his family, friends, & all who loved him, particularly Raider Nation.”
LEBRON JAMES, LOS ANGELES LAKERS FORWARD
“Rest in Paradise To the (goat) John Madden!!!! Your legacy will continue to live on (forever)!!!!!”
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
“The Giants are saddened to learn of the passing of Bay Area sports and media icon, John Madden. We express our condolences to his family and all of those whose lives he touched. He was a Bay Area Giant.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in San Francisco and Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
