For years, the “Madden curse” has loomed massive over the enduring NFL online game franchise.
Legit superstition? Merely a delusion? The ethos of the curse is straightforward: If an NFL participant seems on the duvet of Madden in the summertime, the following season is destined to come back with a lower in on-field manufacturing or a limiting harm. However has the alleged curse held up lately?
To have fun Saquon Barkley being revealed because the cover athlete for Madden NFL 26, here is a glance again on the previous 10 Madden cowl stars — not together with Madden 23, whose cowl artwork featured legendary coach John Madden — and their seasons that adopted the sport’s launch.
Madden 25 cowl star: Christian McCaffrey
The outcome: Awarded with the Madden cowl distinction after a profession marketing campaign that earned him Offensive Participant of the 12 months honors, McCaffery struggled with accidents in 2024. The San Francisco 49ers star performed in simply 4 video games and was positioned on injured reserve twice.
Madden 24 cowl star: Josh Allen
The outcome: Allen’s season after being featured on the duvet proved to be one thing of a blended bag. The Buffalo Bills signal-caller mixed for 44 touchdowns on the bottom and thru the air. Nevertheless, he threw a career-high 18 interceptions.
Madden 22 cowl stars: Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady
The outcome: The 2 stars sharing the duvet every loved robust seasons, although neither returned to the Tremendous Bowl after squaring off in opposition to each other for the title the earlier season. The 44-year-old Brady threw for 43 touchdowns, his highest whole in over a decade. Mahomes wasn’t too shabby, both, throwing for 37 TDs.
Madden 21 cowl star: Lamar Jackson
The outcome: Jackson did not attain the identical heights as his 2019 marketing campaign that earned him his first league MVP honor, however the Baltimore Ravens star nonetheless had a formidable marketing campaign. He threw 26 landing passes and rushed for 1,005 yards.
Madden 20 cowl star: Patrick Mahomes
The outcome: Mahomes’ first nod as the sport’s cowl star proved to be a sensible alternative. He adopted up his 2018 MVP marketing campaign with one other robust season, finally capping issues off with the primary Tremendous Bowl title of his profession.
Madden 19 cowl star: Antonio Brown
The outcome: The discharge of Madden 19 preluded the ultimate yr of Brown’s dominant prime with the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending his time within the Metal Metropolis with a flourish. The four-time All-Professional wideout posted his sixth consecutive season with over 1,000 receiving yards and a career-best 15 touchdowns.
Madden 18 cowl star: Tom Brady
The outcome: The perennial Professional Bowler made for as secure of a canopy choice as there may very well be, which he backed up with a powerful 2017 marketing campaign that included 4,500 yards passing and 32 touchdowns.
Madden 17 cowl star: Rob Gronkowski
The outcome: One other face of the New England Patriots dynasty, Gronkowski struggled with harm all through the autumn following the discharge of Madden 17, finally ending his season on injured reserve. The legendary tight finish earned a hoop that season, nevertheless, because the Patriots got here again to prime the Atlanta Falcons in Tremendous Bowl LI.
Madden 16 cowl star: Odell Beckham Jr.
The outcome: Some of the electrifying gamers of the 2010s, Beckham discovered himself on the duvet of Madden after his Offensive Rookie of the 12 months marketing campaign. He adopted that up with one other nice season, catching 96 passes for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Madden 15 cowl star: Richard Sherman
The outcome: The Legion of Growth ringleader put forth a stellar marketing campaign after incomes cowl honors, intercepting 4 passes en path to a 3rd consecutive first-team All-Professional nod.
