In a world of seemingly infinite streaming options, one tried and true way to gain market share is through sports documentaries. The success of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, NFL Network’s A Football Life, and HBO’s various projects have shown how fruitful the endeavor can be when done right. Fox Sports is ensuring they do not miss the boat as they released a trailer for an upcoming John Madden documentary on Thursday.
Madden briefly played for the Philadelphia Eagles before a training camp injury in his rookie year derailed his career before it could get off the ground. He then went into coaching, serving in various roles in the college ranks before embarking on a dozen-year career with the Raiders, including a decade as head coach, winning Super bowl XI.
He retired at the age of just 42 due to “burnout” but his love of the game continued to burn brightly. Madden called NFL games for 30 years, first with CBS, then Fox, then ABC, and finally NBC until his retirement. The ex-coach was knowing during his broadcasting career for his colorful verbiage and excitable tones, leading him to an extensive endorsement career, as well.
John Madden still holds immeasurable influence over the game. His video game series has influenced not just a generation of players, but a generation of broadcasters and producers as well. Plus, he still has the ability to generate headlines when talking about the game.
The Last Dance kicked down the door for athlete career retrospectives. John Madden may be the first subject of one of these films since Michael Jordan with true pop culture appeal outside of the sports world.