John Madden played college football primarily at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, where he started on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Mustangs in 1957 and 1958, earning all- conference honors as an offensive tackle. He briefly attended the College of San Mateo in 1954-1955 and Grays Harbor College in 1956, playing there as well, after an initial stint at the University of Oregon where a knee injury sidelined him.

In the NFL, Madden was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 21st round of the 1958 draft but never appeared in a regular-season game due to a knee injury sustained in training camp that ended his professional playing career after just one season with the team. He is best known for his later roles as a coach and broadcaster, particularly with the Oakland Raiders, where he led the team to a Super Bowl XI victory in 1977.