NFL to honor Madden on Thanksgiving broadcasts

From awarding triumph turkey legs to the prima players to being the dependable connected the NFL's biggest Thanksgiving Day games for years, John Madden was synonymous with the vacation helium truthful adored.

The NFL is making that a lasting tribute by honoring the precocious broadcaster by launching the "John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration" to statesman connected the archetypal Thanksgiving pursuing his decease past December.

"No 1 cared much oregon contributed much to our crippled than John Madden," Commissioner Roger Goodell said successful a statement. "Honoring his representation and interaction connected the NFL is important and Thanksgiving Day brings each of the elements important to John to beingness - family, football, nutrient and fun."

The league plans for the Thanksgiving tribute to Madden to beryllium an yearly lawsuit starting Nov. 24, erstwhile determination volition beryllium peculiar segments connected each 3 broadcasts by CBS, Fox and NBC dedicated to Madden.

A signaling of Madden discussing Thanksgiving and the holiday's narration to shot volition service arsenic the lead-in to the 3 games that day: Buffalo astatine Detroit connected CBS, the Giants astatine Dallas connected Fox and New England astatine Minnesota connected NBC.

Madden worked for each 3 of those networks during a vocation that included 20 games connected Thanksgiving erstwhile helium worked astatine CBS and Fox.

"There's nary spot that I would alternatively beryllium contiguous connected Thanksgiving than close here, close now, astatine a shot game," Madden said astatine the Bears-Lions Thanksgiving crippled successful 1997. "There are conscionable definite things that spell together: the turkey, the family, the tradition, football. ... And we person it each today."

Madden began the contented of handing retired a turkey limb to the prima of the crippled opening successful 1989 erstwhile Philadelphia's Reggie White got it pursuing a triumph implicit Dallas.

The pursuing twelvemonth Madden gave retired triumph legs to Dallas' Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman and joked that helium wished helium had much for the violative linemen. A barbecue proprietor successful Texas took up the situation and created an artificial six-legged turkey.

For this year's games, the "Madden Player of the Game" volition person a trophy and a $10,000 donation successful their sanction from the NFL Foundation to the younker oregon precocious schoolhouse shot programme of their choice.

There volition besides beryllium "John Madden Thanksgiving" logos connected the 25-yard lines and a spot connected the azygous jerseys featuring an representation of Madden with his fist up successful the air.