The National Football League have confirmed that football legend and Hall of Fame coach John Madden has died at the age of 85.
The organisation said that Madden passed away "unexpectedly" on Tuesday morning.
Roger Goodell, the sports commissioner explained how Madden was an icon in every sense of the word and how he made the NFL the institution that it is today.
"On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families," Goodell said in a statement.
"We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
"Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football. 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."
Madden was a star in college football before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 21st round of the 1958 NFL draft.
After a playing career plagued by injuries he turned to coaching and became a Hall of Fame coach with the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s.
He also spent three decades being one of the NFL's best and well-known broadcasters.
He was became known as the voice of the popular Madden video game franchise, which is released annually to mark the new NFL season.
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