John Madden’s love of football and family was most evident on Thanksgiving.

On Thursday, NBC will continue to honor Madden’s legacy when it opens its telecast before the nightcap between the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers.

During the two-minute opening, the original Madden Cruiser travels from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, to Lambeau Field last week. It has remained in Green Bay and will be on display during the game.

Lambeau Field has always been one of Madden’s favorite stadiums, which made this year’s Thanksgiving game on NBC even more special.

“It was incredible to see how John’s legacy continues to be so important and widespread,” said Ellie Wright, who hosted the opening and was traveling last week.

The idea of ​​retiring the bus was first mooted during NBC’s production meetings for “Sunday Night Football” in early June. Madden donated the Madden Cruiser to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

De Hall was all for the idea of ​​the cruiser making one last run through the Midwest. It is a popular attraction during Enshrinement Week activities, but most of the year it is stored in a warehouse in northeastern Ohio.

During its journey through the Midwest, the cruiser also passed through Chicago, making brief stops at Soldier Field and a Boys & Girls Club in Wisconsin before reaching Lambeau Field.

JJ Johnson, who drove for Madden for the last six years of his broadcast career (2003-2008), piloted the cruiser last week and narrated the opening.

“As I drove between locations, the crew would ask me questions, or tell me stories, and it brought back so many good memories. And for me, it’s a tribute to John in this way,” Johnson said.

After suffering a panic attack on a flight before calling a Tampa Bay game in 1979, Madden traveled by train to the games before Greyhound donated the first bus in 1987.

The first Madden Cruiser traveled more than 600,000 miles. It was replaced with an upgraded one in 1994 when Madden went from CBS to Fox.

There ended up being five Madden Cruisers. The Madden family has access to the last two, while the whereabouts of the other two are unknown.

Madden will be honored during all three games on Thursday. This is the third year the NFL has hosted the “John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration” after the Hall of Fame coach and iconic broadcaster passed away in December 2021.

Madden called 20 Thanksgiving games on CBS and Fox between 1982 and 2001. He went to ABC in 2002 for “Monday Night Football” and joined NBC in 2006 when “Sunday Night Football” started, but neither network had a game on Thanksgiving.

CBS has the first game between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, and Fox has the late afternoon game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

The NFL expanded to three Thanksgiving games in 2006. NBC took over broadcasting the night game in 2012.

This is the second time Green Bay has hosted the night game and the first since 2015.

Although Madden ceased airing at the end of the 2008 season after Super Bowl 43, its impact on NBC’s games continues to resonate.

“Sunday Night Football” coordinating producer Rob Hyland, who was Madden’s replay producer when NBC regained the NFL rights in 2006, said Madden was instrumental in his development as a storyteller, not only with football but also in producing the Kentucky Derby. and prime-time coverage of the Olympics.

“John Madden was the most curious person I’ve ever worked with, and I think his curiosity has definitely rubbed off on everyone who worked with him,” Hyland said. “A player’s ankles may look different than the week before. He asked a lot of questions, and through his curiosity I discovered a lot.”

In keeping with other Madden Thanksgiving traditions, NBC will award turkey legs to the game’s most valuable players and turduckens to the winning team.

Hall of Fame safety Leroy Butler, who played 12 seasons for the Packers, has become an accomplished chef and will prepare the turkeys and turduckens, some of which will be placed in the can.

“One of our production trucks has a dedication to John on the outside. And when it comes to Thanksgiving, when we step out the door, on game day we’re going to do our job, we think about one person, we think about John, and it’s Thanksgiving, and it makes you smile,” he said. Johnson, who drives one of the “Sunday Night Football” production trucks. “The love of football and the love of Thanksgiving and now we are here at Lambeau Field, one of his favorite venues. I mean, this is a game he would love to broadcast. And we just proudly go out and do the best work we can in honor of John.”

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