According to reports from NBC Sports, John Madden is turning in his telestrator pen and retiring. After 42 years in football, 30 of them covering games from the sports booth, Madden wrote funny looking symbols on TV screens across the nation for the last time during the Super Bowl this past February. Madden tells us everything is fine, he just is tired of being away from his family. “It’s been such a great ride… but I know this is the right time,” he says.

No word on whether his retirement will have any effect on the Madden football franchise. We suspect that there will be nothing negative, maybe even more of the virtual Madden action we got this past year. Oh, wait…