By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The legendary John Madden may have died last week. But his name and his spirit will be in the Raiders’ home stadium Sunday when the Raiders continue their quest to reach the NFL playoffs.
Before the Raiders play the Los Angeles Chargers for a winner-take-playoff-berth on Sunday Night Football, John Madden’s family, including his wife, sister, two sons and their wives, will light the Al Davis torch.
Madden, the former 10-year Raiders coach who won a Super Bowl and had the highest winning percentage of any NFL coach with 100 games, died Dec. 28 at the age of 85. He also served as an NFL broadcaster for CBS, NBC, ABC and ESPN and his name was on the famed football video game.
The Hallof-Famer was known for riding the Madden Cruiser bus from game to game as a broadcaster and that bus will also be on display Sunday for the Raiders-Chargers showdown.
Fans with game tickets can see the famed Madden Cruiser, which will be on display on the west side of Allegiant Stadium.
The original Greyhound bus, which was donated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, was converted into the “Madden Cruiser I” in 1987. The bus, which became his road office, logged 80,000 miles annually, transporting Madden to his broadcast gigs across the country after he decided he no longer wanted to fly.
Ticketed fans will also be able to visit an interactive timeline display that showcases special moments in Madden’s life, including his pre-pro football days, his Raiders coaching career, his time in the broadcast booth, his Pro Football Hall of Fame bust and the Madden Video Game. It will be available for viewing on the stadium’s west side.
Raider Nation can also leave its thoughts on walls that will be set up around the stadium.
“It will be an emotional day for all Nation Familia. I met Mr Madden in 1996 talk about an honor. I can still remember seeing the Madden cruiser and he exited and happy as could be and said hello and shook my hand. Memories are wonderful in our minds,” Raiders super fan Raider Rita said on Twitter.