“Thanksgiving and football, some things just go together greatly.” were the words of the person whom the GOAT considers the GOAT. Each football fan would bet on Tom Brady being the GOAT of the league. However, Brady has a different take on it as he considered John Madden, the former Raiders head coach, who left a lasting legacy behind him, to be the real GOAT.

As fan favorites across the league, be it Deion Sanders and his fiance, or Tom Brady, all took center stage to wish their fans a happy Thanksgiving. However, Brady had a different way of wishing his fans.

Tom Brady reminisces about John Madden on Thanksgiving

Madden was not only known for his love of football but also for his love of Thanksgiving. Today, as people across the world spread a little more love, Brady chipped in his share by paying heartfelt tribute to the legend of the NFL, John Madden. Brady went above and beyond to remember the late Madden and wish him a “Happy Thanksgiving from the Brady family” to the person in the NFL who probably adored Thanksgiving the most.

via Imago

Moreover, it was not only Brady but the whole of the NFL who remembered the legend Madden today. NFL took to Instagram to express its deep-rooted love for Madden. A collection of Madden speaking passionately of his favorite festivity, Thanksgiving was enough to bring tears to fans’ eyes. “To me, there’s nothing better. There’s no place I would rather be today, on Thanksgiving, than a football game. It’s just certain things go together, you know the turkey, the family, tradition, football. And we have it all today,” said Madden in a 1997 Bears vs Lions game. Even though the constant advocate of ‘football and Thanksgiving go together’ is no more between us, the NFL will continue to remember him each Thanksgiving.

NFL’s Special Tribute to John Madden

On Thanksgiving day, the tossing coin in the NFL will look a little different. Heads, John Madden; tails, six-legged turducken. The captains will be presented with this coin today, bringing in a wave of nostalgia as the NFL community continues to mourn for losing Madden. This will mark the league’s second annual Thanksgiving tribute to the late Raiders’ coach.

Alongside this, jersey patches featuring Madden’s silhouette will be handed out to all players for an on-field “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration”. The player of the game will be awarded a charity amount of $10,000, to continue the tradition of the late broadcaster, who used to hand a piece of turkey leg to the player of the game. Each football fan, too, will remember him as they enjoy Thanksgiving with football.