Legendary broadcaster John Madden, one of the faces of the National Football League, announced his retirement Thursday after 30 years as an analyst for all four major television networks.

Known for his energetic style and aversion to flying, Madden had served as the game analyst for NBC Sport’s “NBC Sunday Night Football” since 2006. 

“It’s time. I’m 73 years old,” said Madden in a statement released by NBC, which is owned by General Electric (GE). “It’s been such a great ride… the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion -- it still is.”

Madden decided to step away from the game due to a demanding travel schedule that has been made more grueling due to his fear of flying. The tipping point came late last season when Madden needed to make a cross-country bus trip around the holidays and near his anniversary. 

“I appreciate all of the people who are and were such an important part of the most enjoyable, most fun anyone could have,” said Madden, citing the teams, players, coaches, owners, NFL and his broadcasting partners Pat Summerall and Al Michaels. “It’s still fun and that’s what makes it hard and that’s why it took me a few months to make a decision.”

A former Hall of Fame head coach who won the Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, Madden is better known by fans today for his 30 years as an NFL broadcaster. Madden won an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards throughout his career, which included stints with News Corp’s (NWS) FOX Sports, Disney’s (DIS) ABC and CBS (CBS). He is the only announcer to work for all four networks.

News Corp. is the parent company of FOX Business.

“John steps away not [just] as the most honored football announcer but as the absolute best sports broadcaster that ever lived,” Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, said in a conference call with reporters. 

Ebersol has spent much of the past week trying to talk Madden out of retiring, even traveling to his California home early Wednesday to spend 11 hours with him. Ebersol proposed cutting Madden's schedule down so as to allow him more time to spend at home. 

"I knew right away there was no way to talk him out of all of it. I could hear it in his voice," said Ebersol. 

Madden's replacement, Cris Collinsworth, will have some big shoes to fill. NBC announced Collinsworth, who has served as a broadcaster for 16 years and won six Sports Emmy Awards, will take over for Madden. 

“It’s a sad day but it’s a happy day. He is going out his way,” said Sandy Montag, Madden's agent and best friend. “He’s perfectly healthy. He’s in the middle of a six-year contract where he’s walking away right in the middle of that. He loves everything he does.”

Madden typically traveled to each week's game on a specially equipped bus called the "Madden Cruiser."

“When you don’t fly and you can't get home after games you can’t do those [family] things," said Montag, who also serves as senior vice president and managing director of IMG Broadcasting

In addition to his broadcasting prowess, Madden is also a video-game icon. With more than 65 million copies sold over the last 20 years, Electronic Arts’ (ERTS) “Madden NFL Football” is the No. 1 selling sports video game ever. Montag said Thursday's announcement does not impact his relationship with the video game series. 

Madden will go out on top: he called Super Bowl XLIII on NBC in February, marking his 11^th Super Bowl as a broadcaster.