John Madden on the state of football: 'The game is never going to be safe'
John Madden proved he's more than just the face of the eponymous EA Sports video game franchise.
Madden, the Hall of Fame head coach that led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl victory in 1976, remains an ardent supporter and analyst of the game even after retiring from broadcasting in 2009.
The 79-year-old opined on a number of contentious issues Saturday, including player safety, the ending of Super Bowl XLIX, and Peyton Manning among other topics.
"The game is never going to be safe," Madden said to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. "It's a violent game. Big, strong, fast guys running into each other with equipment on. I think what we can do is always try to make it safer. But I think there's a lot more to be done. The right rules, the right culture, watch the culture so we're not bringing in a lot of that headhunting and spearing when guys are on the ground. That's the part that we can get rid of."
In Super Bowl XLIX, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a game-sealing interception with the team at the one-yard line. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll's decision to pass from inches away with the game on the line drew universal scrutiny, New England won 28-24, and Madden was baffled by the sequence.
"That will torment (Carroll) forever," Madden said. "Winning one game is hard. Getting to the Super Bowl is hard. Then getting that close and losing has to be tough, because we only remember the winners of the Super Bowl. One of the biggest gaps in sports is the difference between the winning and losing teams of the Super Bowl. They don't invite the losing team to the White House. They don't have parades for them. They don't throw confetti on them. Does it haunt you? Hell yes, it haunts you. I'm still haunted by some championship games."
Peyton Manning is nearing the end of his career and Madden compared the Denver Broncos superstar to Hall of Fame quarterback George Blanda.
"There was one time during the season there was talk that Peyton Manning was the MVP. He's going to work his tail off to be good, and he has so much pride. I would never bet against Peyton Manning. You know about the age and the neck and the strength. But I had George Blanda, and as he got older, he got smarter, and he just got rid of the ball quicker. I watch Peyton and I see George Blanda."
Although he's been removed from the game in an official capacity for over five years, Madden remains one of football's brightest minds. With his career dedicated to football, it'll be interesting to see whether his predictions come true.