UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1986: CBS NFL commentator Pat Summerall (L) and NFL analyst John Madden (R) on the air prior during an NFL Football game circa 1986. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
John Madden died unexpectedly on Tuesday and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered a heartfelt statement that was more of a tribute to the Hall of Famer.
There arguably isn’t anyone who speaks to a generation of NFL fans, players, coaches, owners and anyone involved than John Madden. With a decade as a head coach, a legacy as a Super Bowl winner, and an iconic role as a color commentator, Madden was the absolute definition of a legend.
Subsequently, his unexpected death on Tuesday, Dec. 28 sent shockwaves throughout the football world. And voices throughout the league mourned the loss of the Hall of Famer.
But perhaps the most poignant tribute and telling words about just how great John Madden was as a coach, broadcaster and person came from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Jerry Jones on John Madden: ‘No one lived a more beautiful football life’
The Cowboys owner whose long-standing time in the NFL led to a relationship with Madden had a beautiful way of speaking about the life John Madden lived.
What makes Jones’ statement a perfect obituary for Madden in the wake of his death is the clear impact that the Hall of Famer left on the Cowboys owner and the football world at large.
Not only was he an unforgettable voice on NFL broadcasts for generations or even on video games, but Madden was clearly just as legendary when it came to his personal relationships within football as well.
The NFL world undeniably lost one of the game’s greatest ambassadors and fans on Tuesday, which Jones’ words perfectly encapsulate.