John Madden's Broadcasting Streak to End at 476 Games

For the first time since he began calling games as a color analyst for CBS Sports full-time in 1980, Madden, now 72, and working games for NBC on Sunday nights, will not be in action for an NFL regular season game, a remarkable run the network said is now at 476 games.

Iron Man Madden has never missed a regular season week in an NFL football booth in 28 years. Not for illness, not for wedding anniversaries or big birthdays, not even for flat tires or mechanical breakdowns on his "Madden Cruiser" in the middle of Nebraska on its cross country trek to the Meadowlands in New Jersey.

It wasn't exactly Madden's idea to take a deep breath and a day off this weekend, but when NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol first broached the possibility with him last spring, Madden said he'd have to think about it. Ten days ago, he spoke with Ebersol again and told him it might not be a bad idea.

"I wasn't reluctant as much as I was 'let's wait and see how it goes,'" Madden said in a telephone interview Monday. "Last year we had a couple of tough (trips). I still enjoy the travel, but you'd like to be home once in a while. I've got five grandchildren. It's a quality of life issue.
The 49ers and the Raiders not being good also has hurt, because you never get a home game. Even when L.A. had a team, I'd get to be home. When you see the grand kids, it's like they've grown two feet. So I'd like to check in once awhile, and this is a good chance to do that."