Mary Madison
Contributor
Dorothy's line from The Wizard of Oz – “There's no place like home” – perfectly expresses the excitement of the family, friends and fans of Sam Madison, Jr. For three years, he has resided in Kansas City, Mo., and worked as the secondary/cornerbacks coach for that city's National Football League (NFL) team, the Chiefs. Now he has returned to his home state to reside in Davie, Fla., with his wife, Saskia, and their children, Kellen, who is following in his father's footsteps with a football scholarship to Butler University, Kennedy and Kaden.
Learning that Madison was available, Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel felt he didn't need to look any farther to fill a vacancy on his coaching staff if he could get the Dolphins' legend.
“This is all part of putting the touches on my staff,” McDaniel said. “Sam will be the cornerbacks/pass game specialist.”
Floridians know of Madison's accomplishments as an athlete, but none like his astute hometown supporters and ardent fans. He's the youngest of three children born to Sam and Mary Madison, but those he was reared up around refer to him as Jefferson County's native son. Madison loves his community and refers to it as “the Village” because of the closeness and care for young people.
As a youth, Sam was an all-around, exceptional athlete, beginning with his pee-wee/recreational and middle school performance. In high school at the Florida A&M Developmental Research School in Tallahassee, he lettered in basketball, baseball, track-and-field and football. He loved football the most and was determined to be one of the best.
Despite being one of the top players in his district and the state, he was not highly recruited by local universities, but his recruitment by the University of Louisville-Kentucky was one of the best choices for the university and the underrated freshman. During his tenure, he
was a four-year letterman and three-year starter as cornerback. He set records for both interceptions and passes defensed.
Madison's stellar performance and achievements at Louisville earned him a second-round NFL draft selection in 1997 with the Miami Dolphins. He played nine seasons (1997-2005) for the Dolphins, earning first-team All-Pro honors twice (1999-2000) and being selected to the Pro Bowl four times (1999-2002). His 31 interceptions are third in team history and the most by a Dolphin since the 1970s.
Madison's football career broadened when he was recruited by the New York Giants, and he was a member of the squad that won Super Bowl XLII in 2008. Eventually, he made the shift from player to coach when he was asked to join the Kansas City Chiefs staff as cornerback coach. He helped lead the squad in several AFC successes, including winning Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
According to Madison, “Hard work, discipline and a tremendous amount of prayer can make any man a champion.” Bringing the champion mindset that made him a great player and a great coach back to the Dolphins program is a dream come true for Madison.
His family and community are extremely proud of the impetus Madison disclosed on his journey “abroad” but are looking forward to him bringing his vigorous sports intellect to his home team in his new coaching position. Welcome home!