Who Is John Madden's Wife?
John Madden, hailed as one of the — if not the — most influential figures in football history, died on December 28 at the age of 85, the NFL announced on its website. The announcement didn't include Madden's cause of death, but noted the Hall of Fame coach, broadcaster and video game entrepreneur "died unexpectedly." Madden died at home in Pleasanton, California, according to The New York Times.
Madden is survived by his wife, Virginia, two sons, Joseph and Michael, and their families, according to the AP. While Madden kept his personal life away from the spotlight, those close to him remember him as a family man. "We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, but more than anything, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.
Madden ended his 30-year broadcasting career in 2009, as Forbes reported — a decision he made to spend more time with his grandchildren, according to The Mercury News' Cam Inman, who knew Madden personally. Madden's love for his family is evidenced by the dedication included in, "Hey, Wait a Minute: I Wrote a Book!", his 1984 memoir: "To Virginia, Mike and Joe." Amid every height and every low, Madden knew he could count on Virginia, a woman who enjoyed being a wife and mother just as much as she enjoyed being independent.
John Madden's wife was an educator and bar owner
Virginia Fields met John Madden when they were students at Cal Poly in the late 1950s, as The New York Times noted. Despite being in the same field, their meeting was unexpected. While John maintained he met his future wife at school during his undergraduate years, Virginia tells a different story. "The fact is, we met in a bar in Pismo Beach. But it wasn't as if we hung out in bars. If we hadn't both been there on that one day, we'd probably never have met," Virginia told Sports Illustrated in 1983.
Virginia Fields became Virginia Madden in December 1959, according to The Press Democrat. In fact, Virginia and John had celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary just two days before he died, Boston.com noted. Before and after marrying, Virginia worked as a schoolteacher, but she was always exploring new options.
When her husband was making history as head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s, Virginia purchased The Village Saloon in Dublin, California. She ran the bar by herself before selling it after two years. "It was fun, but the trouble is, you get so involved in people's lives," she said. Virginia is also involved with Vascular Cures, a nonprofit that works to prevent vascular disease, a cause she became passionate about after undergoing surgery to repair a blocked carotid artery in her 40s, Virginia said in 2017.