Tom Brady, LeBron James and More Star Athletes React to NFL Icon John Madden’s Death

NFL legend John Madden died unexpectedly on Tuesday at the age of 85. The loss has since caused waves among the sports world, with tributes pouring in.

Madden was known as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and a broadcaster who worked for every major network. He also was the face of the “Madden NFL” video game franchise for more than three decades and it ranks among the top-selling titles of all time.

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“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. 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.”

Tom Brady posted on his Instagram Stories following the news of Madden’s death, writing, “John called our first Super Bowl. He was always so good to me. RIP to a legend of our game.”

Other famous quarterbacks including Troy Aikman, Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes paid their respects.

“John Madden was a treasure. He was a gift. And he was an incredible friend,” said Aikman.

Brett Favre added, “We lost a larger than life legend in John Madden. My career was narrated by ‘Coach,’ one of the best in the game. I’ll always remember our pre-game [meetings], when we laughed [and] talked about anything but football. I’ll miss my dear friend.”

Outside of football, sports stars such a LeBron James and Alex Rodriguez honored Madden with their own words.

“Saddened to hear about the passing of the iconic John Madden. An incredible coach, broadcaster and person. A true hero and role model. He will be deeply missed,” Rodriguez posted on Twitter.

James also wrote on social media: “Rest in paradise to the [G.O.A.T] John Madden. Your legacy will continue to live on!”

Keep scrolling to see how more sports stars remembered Madden.

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