49ers players, alumni react on Twitter to John Madden passing away

The NFL world lost a great one in Hall of Fame coach John Madden, and 49ers players and alumni took to Twitter to express their condolences.

There are only a handful of personnel who grace the pantheon of eternal NFL stardom. Most, even great for their eras, are frequently forgotten within a few decades, only available to memory by the occasional old-school highlight-reel clips and films made viewable on YouTube or NFL Network.

Hall of Fame head coach and famed broadcaster John Madden, who passed away at the age of 85 this week, is not one of those. He’ll be eternal.

Perhaps for Las Vegas Raiders fans, who watched Madden turn the Oakland Raiders into a powerhouse during the 1970s. Perhaps for later generations who associated Madden with every prime-time football game, either with the late great Pat Summerall or, in more recent years, Al Michael.

And no one will soon forget the NFL Madden video game franchise, a true game-changer for gamers that spanned decades and will continue to do so.

49ers players, past and present, express their grief for John Madden passing

There’s no shortage of San Francisco 49ers players over the years who’ve grown familiar with Madden and his legacy. Madden made his home in the Bay Area, in addition to coaching the Niners’ crosstown rivals decades ago.

And when Madden was calling all those prime-time games during San Francisco’s dynasty years, there was no shortage of famous 49ers alumni who got to know him well, too.

Even those who ended up gracing the covers of Madden’s video games.

In the hours following news of Madden’s passing, plenty of those Niners players and alumni took to Twitter to express their condolences and share their memories.

Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young’s memory might be the best of them all.

Former 49ers are thankful for John Madden and his video game legacy

Being on the cover of a Madden game is quite an honor, and San Francisco has seen a few players go through its doors who’ve been lucky enough to grace the cover.

Although 49ers fans might not want to think of cornerback Richard Sherman wearing a Seattle Seahawks jersey when he was the featured player:

No, instead, they’d probably rather remember the 49ers’ all-time leading rusher, running back Frank Gore, and think about him on Madden covers instead:

https://twitter.com/frankgore/status/1476008341814059008

Read More: Ranking 49ers’ 10 best teams in franchise history

Either way, the NFL and sporting worlds lost a great one with Madden’s passing, but the coach and media personality’s wit, voice and knowledge of the game will continue to echo across generations for years to come.