John Madden stopped coaching mainly because of health problems and burnout, particularly issues with a bleeding ulcer that worsened late in his career.
Health and burnout
- By the end of the 1978 season with the Oakland Raiders, Madden was dealing with a serious ulcer condition and the accumulated stress of a decade as an NFL head coach.
- He described feeling like he had nothing left to give to coaching and cited both the ulcer and overall exhaustion as his reasons for stepping away at age 42.
Final decision to retire
- After the 1978 season, the Raiders still had a winning record but missed the playoffs, and shortly afterward Madden announced he was retiring from coaching permanently.
- He emphasized that he was ending his coaching career for good, wanting to prioritize his health and time with his family, and he never returned to coaching after that announcement.
