Anthony Lynn Told John Madden He Was Barack Obama When Contacted
It is not everyday John Madden picks up the telephone to call a football coach.
So when Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn received a telephone call from Madden five years ago, he actually did not believe it was the Hall of Fame coach who had contacted him.
"He called me about five years ago. My phone rang, and when I answered my phone I said, 'Hello.' He goes, 'This is John Madden.' I said, 'Yeah, this is Barack Obama. Who the hell is this?' And John said, 'No, this is John Madden.' And I was like, 'Come on, who is this? I don't have time for this nonsense.' And he goes, 'Coach, this is John Madden, and I'm calling to ask you if you would like to be on the competition committee.' I said, 'Oh s**t.' After apologizing several times, we had a good 30-minute conversation," Lynn explained. "I got to tell you, he has so much wisdom. And, when he talks, I listen. Just in that 30-minute conversation, first conversation I've ever had with him, I learned a lot."
The recognition from Madden meant a lot to Lynn, who realized why the National League Football was as popular as it was, since it had Madden aiding in the process of decision-making.
"That meant a lot, just coming from him, especially," Lynn said. "So, that meant a lot, and I learned a lot with him. Every year, we would meet down at the Combine, and we'd talk about this and that. I can see why the league is as popular as it is when you have guys like Coach Madden behind the scenes, making the decisions that he's making."
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