Just in time for a new NFL season, John Madden is returning to the KCBS radio morning show after a two-year absence.

The former Oakland Raiders coach and NFL TV analyst will rejoin the broadcast Friday morning and will be a regular contributor on Mondays and Fridays.

KCBS radio’s Stan Bunger announced the news this morning with the following tweet:

Thrilled to announce: John Madden returning to KCBS. Live 9:15 AM Mondays & Fridays. Also https://t.co/1ZXR5kcBkj & https://t.co/T6az1acVhB pic.twitter.com/axzgRPB464 — Stan Bunger (@BungerKCBSRadio) September 7, 2017

“We’re fired up to have him back,” Bunger told the Bay Area News Group. “John is a Bay Area treasure and the most gifted communicator I’ve ever been around. The way he tells stories, his powers of observation, his timing and sense of humor — are just amazing. He has an ability to connect with anyone, from every walk of life.”

Madden, 81, did his last regularly scheduled stint with KCBS in 2015, just before Thanksgiving. The following month, he underwent successful heart surgery and in the months following surgery, Madden dealt with other health challenges that kept him off the air.

His six to 10-minute, off-the-cuff chats with KCBS anchors at 8:15 a.m. every weekday were once a popular staple of the Bay Area’s morning drive time and KCBS would air recorded repeats throughout the day. The conversations usually would be pegged to football and other sports, but often veered off into the mundane doings of everyday life — or whatever was on the coach’s mind at that particular moment.

“It was crazy. You never knew where the conversation would go,” Bunger said. “In the days when he was driving around in his bus, it would often be about where he just had breakfast.”

Madden’s new schedule will be much lighter — just two days a week — and will start an hour later.

“I’m going to have to tease him about sleeping in,” Bunger joked. “I don’t get to sleep in.”

Yes, we plan to make the John Madden segments avail for donwload/online play. I'll pass along details ASAP. https://t.co/4gKIhKmX0Z — Stan Bunger (@BungerKCBSRadio) September 7, 2017