Watch: John Madden honored before Raiders clash against Colts

Legendary NFL broadcaster and former NFL head coach, John Madden suddenly passed this week, shocking the football world. His passing came just days after FOX aired a documentary entitled "All Madden" on Christmas Day. Before he passed away, John Madden saw the documentary with his family and was able to experience how much the world appreciated him and his extraordinary career. Madden was 85 years old when he passed on December 28, 2021.

On Sunday, the National Football League honored John Madden and his contribution to the game he loved so much during pregame ceremonies. All home teams observed a moment of silence for John Madden before the teams took the field.

The video below shows the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders honoring Madden before their game on Sunday afternoon.

NFL honors John Madden before Sunday kickoff

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The National Football League and FOX Sports network ensured that former NFL head coach and broadcaster John Madden was honored on Sunday.

Players, coaches and each team's entire staff lowered their heads in reverence as they played a video in remembrance of the former NFL head coach. The video highlighted his contributions to the game throughout his storied career, both on the field as a coach and in the booth as a broadcaster.

The Las Vegas Raiders placed "JM" stickers on their helmets ahead of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. John Madden coached the then-Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978, his only tenure as an NFL head coach.

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FOX Sports networks used John Madden's iconic "circling" that he did on the screen when broadcasting. During Sunday's games FOX also displayed an image of John Madden next to the logo for the network as a way to show respect and honor the man who did so much for the game.

John Madden was an icon of the game of football and influenced a tremendous amount of players, increasing their love for the game as well. John Madden's impact on the game, not only as a coach and broadcaster, but also as the face and voice of the video game, has grown the game throughout generations.

Players that take the field today and in recent years relate to John Madden and the Madden football game and have envisioned him saying their names while playing the game.

Madden's impact on the National Football League will never be matched.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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Edited by Windy Goodloe