Cal Poly To Retire John Madden's No. 74
8/19/2026 9:30:00 AM | Football, General
Madden will be honored at halftime of football home opener
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly Athletics will retire uniform number 74 in honor of John Madden at halftime of the Mustangs' football home opener against Idaho on Friday, August 28.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Alex G. Spanos Stadium, with the game airing nationally on ESPN.
Madden's No. 74 will become just the second number retired in Cal Poly Football history. The first was No. 45, retired in honor of All-American linebacker Osbaldo Orozco, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2003 while serving as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
"John Madden is one of the most significant figures in the history of American football," said Director of Athletics Carter Henderson. "Retiring his No. 74 is our way of acknowledging that what he built and what he means to Cal Poly will remain unsurpassed. We are grateful to the Madden family for allowing us to honor him in this way."
Madden played offensive and defensive line for Cal Poly in 1957 and 1958, earning all-California Collegiate Athletic Association honors as an offensive lineman. He also played baseball for the Mustangs as a catcher in 1958 and 1959. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in education in 1959 and earned his master's, also in education, in 1961.
As head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, Madden compiled a 103-32-7 record and led the franchise to its first Super Bowl title, a 32-14 win over Minnesota in Super Bowl XI. Madden never had a losing season, still holds the Raiders record for most wins by a head coach, and his .759 regular-season winning percentage ranks as the highest ever among coaches with 100 career victories.
Madden was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and was part of the inaugural Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame class in 1987.
Following his retirement from coaching, Madden became the defining voice of NFL broadcasting, winning 16 Emmy Awards and calling 11 Super Bowls across four networks from 1979 to 2009. His partnership with EA Sports on the Madden NFL video game franchise, which has sold more than 250 million copies, introduced generations of fans to the game.
His commitment to Cal Poly extended well beyond his playing days. Madden was a major fundraiser for Mustang athletics in the 1980s and was involved in the 1991 athletics referendum that led to Cal Poly's elevation to NCAA Division I status in 1994.
The uniform retirement comes months after the June unveiling of the John Madden Football Center, the 37,690-square-foot facility that now serves as the home of Cal Poly Football. The building was made possible through the generosity of Virginia Madden, sons Mike and Joe, and donors committed to Cal Poly Athletics. At the heart of its lobby, a bronze statue of Madden looks out toward Mustang Memorial Plaza.
Members of the Madden family are expected to attend the ceremony.
