What disease did John Madden have? All you need to know and his life story

What disease did John Madden have? All you need to know and his life story

28 December 2021 remains a day to remember as the famous football legend, NFL coach, and sportscaster John Madden passed on at age 85. The death of the Pro Football Hall Famer came as a shock to many and continues to stir reactions as the cause of his death was undisclosed. What disease did John Madden have?

john madden's cause of death
John Madden during Super Bowl XXXVII - EA Sports Ninth Annual Football Videogame Tournament at Axiom Nightclub in San Diego, California, United States. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

John Madden was a force in American football history. As a sports analyst and commentator, people heard his voice on the four major American sports channels: FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC. Likewise, though he is dead, he can be heard in the popular game franchise Madden NFL which has become one of the best-selling football games since 1988. Despite his achievements, he battled several illnesses before he died.

Profile summary

Full nameJohn Earl Madden
Date of birth10 April 1936
Age85 years old (at the time of death)
Zodiac signAries
Place of birthAustin, Minnesota, USA
Date of death28 December 2021
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Height in feet 6'5"
Height in centimetres195
Weight in pounds209
Weight in kilogram 95
Hair colourBrown
Eye colourBrown
FatherEarl Russel Madden
MotherMary Margaret Madden
Marital statusMarried
WifeVirginia Fields
Children2
SchoolOur Lady of Help Catholic Parochial School, Jefferson High School
University/CollegeCollege of San Mateo, University of Oregon, California Polytechnic State University
ProfessionSportscaster, football player, NFL former coach
Net worth$200 million

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What disease did John Madden have?

According to the sports commentator's mother, he was born with a bleeding disorder called Hemophilia A. This was an inheritance from his grandfather, and he was advised against sports or strenuous activities.

What happened with John Madden?

His love for football and basketball made him participate. And unfortunately, this triggered a lot of bruises, joint bleeding, paralysis of his right leg from femoral neuralgia, and severe arthritis in the knee and ankle. Eventually, he had eight surgeries in his lifetime, involving two knee replacements.

Why did John Madden retire so early?

He announced his retirement on 4 January 1979, stating deteriorating bleeding ulcer, stomach ulcer, joint issues, and occupational burnout as the major reason. He also had a panic attack on a plane in 1959 and stopped using flights.

What disease did John Madden have?
John Madden, head coach of the Oakland Raiders, looked on from the sidelines during an NFL football game circa 1977. Photo: Focus on Sport
Source: Getty Images

With this, he switched to sports broadcasting and commentating for the major American football channels. He won 16 Emmy awards as an Outstanding Sports Personality/Sport Event Analyst. But this was short-lived after he had open-heart surgery in 2015.

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Despite this, he still played a significant part as the co-chair of the NFL Player Safety Advisory Panel and a chair of the Coaches Subcommittee to the Competition Committee, per NFL Communications.

What was the cause of John Madden's death?

What did John Madden die from?

John Madden's death has raised a lot of speculations. He died in his Pleasanton, California, home on 28 December 2021.

John Madden's family did not disclose the cause of his death. Though the exact cause has not been revealed, many believe he died from a heart attack. This is also based on the open heart surgery he had on 30 November 2015 in San Francisco Hospital.

The surgery was meant to remove a blockage and restore circulation to the heart. This disease is occasionally referred to as coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease. It is indicated by the blockage or narrowing of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty materials.

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However, he seemed healthy after the surgery till the sudden news of his death. But then, many still suspect this was the cause of his death. The former sportscaster was also seen in his pictures with abdominal obesity, which suggests diabetes and heart problems.

How big was John Madden?

The NFL coach weighed 95 kilograms, which is equivalent to 209 pounds. He complemented this with his brown eyes and hair.

how big was john madden?
Hall of Fame Coach John Madden during opening ceremonies at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California. Photo: Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary
Source: Getty Images

Did John Madden play football?

Yes, the one-time NFL coach played high school and college football. During his high school days, he played for one season at the College of San Mateo in 1954.

After this, he was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Oregon, where he played football with his childhood friend John Robinson. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it to the team because he had a knee injury and underwent surgery during his rookie training camp.

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In addition, from the year 1957 to 1958, John Madden was a defensive player for the Mustangs at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He was the catcher for the university's basketball team.

Due to his skillfulness in the game, the Philadelphia Eagles, an NFL team, drafted him in the 21st round (244th overall) in 1958. But then, during their first rookie training in camp, he had another knee injury and underwent surgery, and this significantly limited him from playing professional football and basketball.

John Madden's net worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, the sportsman was worth $200 million. He earned this from his numerous endorsements, sportscasting career with the primary sports channel, and his popular football game Madden NFL.

FAQs

  1. What disease did John Madden have? According to the sports commentator's mother, he was born with a bleeding disorder called Hemophilia"
  2. What happened with John Madden? He had many bruises, joint bleeding, paralysis of his right leg from femoral neuralgia, and severe arthritis in the knee and ankle."
  3. Why did John Madden retire so early? He announced his retirement on 4 January 1979, stating deteriorating bleeding ulcer, stomach ulcer, joint issues, and occupational burnout as the major reason.
  4. What did John Madden die from? John Madden's death has raised a lot of speculations. Though the exact cause is not revealed, many believe he died from a heart attack.
  5. What was the cause of John Madden's death? John Madden's cause of death on 28 December 2021 in his house in Pleasanton, California, was not revealed.
  6. How big was John Madden? The NFL coach weighed 95 kilograms, which is equivalent to 209 pounds.
  7. Did John Madden play football? Yes, the one-time NFL coach played high school and college football.

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What disease did John Madden have? It is a question that still lingers in the heart of many fans and football lovers. But then, he was a significant figure in the NFL, and his contributions to the game made him iconic.

As published on Yen.com.gh, there are football legends whose exceptional playing skills cannot be forgotten so soon in the world of sports. They have set records, broken them, and set a new standard for the upcoming generation.

Sports fans cannot forget men like Micahel Jordan and Muhammad Ali shortly because of their impact on the sports industry. So, which other players are on the list? Check out the post to find out.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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Favour Adeaga (SEO author) Favour is an author, speaker, and coach. He graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria, in 2011. He had his internship programme at The Nation Newspaper and taught diploma students in Newspaper and Magazine course at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He curates the facts and life hacks category since 2018. Favour is the author of two books available on Amazon. He currently lives in Nigeria. favouradeaga@gmail.com