John Madden Retires

Rarely if ever is one of our crackpot ahead-of-the-curve theories accurate. So on the unusual occurrence that we nail one, we are compelled to celebrate by feasting on a block of cheese the size of a car battery. NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol announced Thursday that living-legend NFL broadcaster John Madden is retiring. And we had it pegged earlier this year, after Matt Millen made an unscheduled appearance on the playoff edition of NBC’s pregame show, Football Night In America: “In our estimation, John Madden will retire from broadcasting after the season, Cris Collinsworth will take Madden’s place on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, and Millen will replace Collinsworth on FNIA,” we wrote on January 3. We had been hearing rumors that Madden would exit the industry, along with speculation that he’d re-join the Raiders in a front-office role. Last September, owner Al Davis hinted during the infamous “Lane Kiffin Must Consume Fecal Matter And Die” press conference that a local figure could soon be added to the organization. “It’s time,” Madden said in a statement. “I’m 73 years old. My 50th wedding anniversary is this fall. I have two great sons and their families and my five grandchildren are at an age now when they know when I’m home and, more importantly, when I’m not . . . . “It’s been such a great ride. . . . The NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion -- it still is. I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have . . . that great life with the teams, the players, the coaches, the owners, the League . . . my broadcasting partners Pat [Summerall] and Al [Michaels] . . . the production people and the fans . . . is still great . . . it’s still fun and that’s what it makes it hard and that’s why it took me a few months to make a decision. “I still love every part of it -- the travel, the practices, the game film, the games, seeing old friends and meeting new people . . . but I know this is the right time.” As we’ve previously heard it, Madden and Ebersol agreed upon execution of Madden’s six-year deal that, after three years, they’d revisit his situation. Sundays and Mondays won’t be the same without John Madden, and in hindsight he capped his career the right way -- by calling one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever.