The sports world was shaken by the passing of NFL legend John Madden on Tuesday. Madden's legacy in the NFL cannot be understated, and he's had an everlasting impact on the game of football across multiple generations. Upon the news of the 85-year-old's passing, many notable figures took to social media to share their reaction to the loss of a legend.

Among the first to share their grief over the tragic news was Arizona Cardinals star JJ Watt, who shared his heartfelt reaction to Twitter.

Watt is well-aware of the shadow Madden casts upon the NFL and offered him the highest praise in his remorseful social media post.

Future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson also weighed in on the tragic loss of Madden, calling him “an icon to the game of football.”

NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport were among the first to report the passing of Madden, something which was likely incredibly difficult for the pair to reveal.

It's not just the older generation who were impacted by Madden's legacy. While the younger era of players wasn't able to witness his legendary tenure as the Raiders' coach, that doesn't mean they weren't affected by his tragic loss. Raiders star defender Maxx Crosby, who is just 24, was among the first to share a heartfelt social media post.

Crosby's reaction shows just how influential Madden was on all generations of football fans, and suggests that his legacy will live on far into the future.

Kirk Herbstreit grew up with Madden as an NFL icon, and he shared his remorse over Madden's passing with a brief trip down memory lane.

Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman summed up just about everyone's thoughts with his tweet in honor of the late Madden.

Ex-Dallas Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant shared his condolences over the passing of Madden, too, crediting the late 85-year-old for his love of football.

Raiders' legend Rich Gannon was among the first to share his condolences over the loss of Madden, who helped shape the Raiders franchise.

Robert Griffin III's comments couldn't have been better phrased, perfectly detailing just how important Madden was to the game of football.

As Griffin correctly claims, Madden is absolutely “one of the most influential figures in sports.”

Hall of Famer and legendary Raiders and 49ers cornerback Ronnie Lott was lucky enough to be close to Madden during the later stages of his life and shared a heartwarming photo of the pair of them.

The loss of Madden has shaken up the sports world, with players, reporters, and fans across all generators paying their respects to one of the most iconic individuals in football, and sports, history. His name will never be forgotten among football circles, has touched countless lives just by doing what he loved. There may never have been a greater individual attached to the sport of football, and the entire world will mourn the loss of the late, great John Madden.