John Madden Net Worth: How Rich Was NFL Coach Before His Death?

National Football League (NFL) broadcast icon and retired coach John Madden was confirmed to have passed away on Tuesday. He was 85.

At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated to be at $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Madden's fortune reportedly came from his earnings from coaching and commentating, but the vast majority of his net worth came from “Madden NFL,” a video game franchise that he endorsed.

The video game series, published by EA sports since 1988, has sold over 130 million copies to date.

In 2005, the firm reportedly signed a $300 million deal to become the exclusive game developer for the NFL. It was then that Madden signed a deal with the firm that would allow his name to be used in the games in perpetuity for $150 million.

It was reported that Madden earned around $2 million per year from the firm as a retainer until he retired in 2009.

Madden also made millions through his nearly three decades of work as a broadcaster.

Madden’s broadcasting career started in 1979. His career spanned four major networks, including Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC.

At the peak of his broadcasting career, Madden was reportedly earning $8 million per year, which is equivalent to $14 million today after adjusting for inflation.

In the 1980s, Madden became one of the first celebrities to earn more than $1 million annually from endorsements. He had endorsement deals with Miller Lite, Exxon, McDonald's, Canon and Ramada Inn.

Additionally, he also secured deals with Tinactin, Ace Hardware, Outback Steakhouse, Verizon Wireless and Toyota.

Despite not having the chance to play in the NFL due to an injury, Madden had an excellent career as a coach for nearly two decades.

In 1960, he became a coach at Allan Hancock College. Two years later, he became the head coach at the institution. San Diego State then hired him as assistant defensive coach until 1966, at which point the team was among the highest-ranked in the nation.

In 1967, Madden was hired as the linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders. Two years later, at age 32, he became the team’s head coach, replacing Al Davis. Madden was considered the youngest head coach in NFL history at the time.

For Madden’s contributions to football as a coach, he was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

He was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2009 and the NSMA Hall of Fame in 2010.