Many athletes dream of being featured on the cover of the Madden NFL video game. Not only are the athletes on the covers among the best in their sport but they are also recognized for their popularity. In the NFL world, some fans believe this honor comes with a curse—the Madden curse.
The Madden curse refers to a superstition in which a player featured on the cover of the iconic Madden NFL football video game tends to suffer from bad luck, usually in the form of injury or a regression in performance.
Sports games always have titles that are a year ahead. For example, the latest release in the Madden series is Madden NFL 25, which is based on the recent 2024 season. The first player chosen as the cover athlete for the Madden NFL franchise was running back Garrison Hearst, featured in the international version of Madden NFL 99.
In the 1998 NFL season, Hearst posted career highs in all statistical categories, such as rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards. However, four months after being featured on the video game cover, Hearst suffered a season-ending lower leg injury on the first snap of a playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons. As a result, Hearst would not return to the field until 2001. Although Hearst did not know it then, he would be the first victim of the Madden curse.
Running back Shaun Alexander was selected to grace the cover of Madden 07. In the 2005 season, while playing for the Seattle Seahawks, Alexander had a stellar season. In addition to earning NFL MVP and OPOY (offensive player of the year) honors, he rushed for a league-leading 1,880 yards and scored 27 rushing touchdowns while leading the Seahawks to a Super Bowl appearance. However, in his Madden cover season, Alexander broke his foot in Week 3.
Before he appeared on the cover of the game, Alexander never missed a game in his six seasons in the league. Despite returning later in the season, he would never rush for 1000 yards again. Injuries continued to plague his career; by 2008, he was entirely out of the league.
Additionally, Vince Young (Madden 08), Troy Polamalu (Madden 10) and Peyton Hillis (Madden 12) experienced setbacks during their cover seasons.
Throughout the mid-2010s, the Madden curse had been lifted. Detroit Lions star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, nicknamed Megatron, appeared on the cover of Madden 13. Johnson had a record-breaking 2012 season, leading the league with 122 receptions and an NFL record 1,964 yards, a record that still stands today.
Other cover athletes such as Adrian Peterson (Madden 25, referring to the 25th anniversary of the series), Richard Sherman (Madden 15), Odell Beckham Jr. (Madden 16) and Tom Brady (Madden 18) had healthy and productive cover seasons.
However, the curse struck again with the release of Madden 19. This time, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown featured on the cover. Despite having a statistically productive 2018 season, with 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns, he was involved in a series of off-field controversies.
Following the regular season’s last game, Brown skipped team practices and became involved in a dispute with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. These issues culminated in a trade to the Oakland Raiders, where he was again involved with off-field issues. As a result, the Raiders released Brown just days before Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season. Brown subsequently signed with the New England Patriots but was released after appearing in one game due to further off-field controversies.
He went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl in 2020. However, he was cut a year later and has not returned to the NFL since. What looked like a hall-of-fame career for Brown ended up spiraling into the ground due to his off-field antics.
Throughout the early 2020s, the curse could be defied. For instance, Patrick Mahomes appeared on the cover of Madden 20 and won his first Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson (Madden 21) saw a dip in production but remained healthy. Madden 22 featured both Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. During their cover year, both proved why they are arguably the two best quarterbacks of all time, as they were among the statistical leaders in passing categories. Josh Allen had a productive season as the cover athlete for Madden 24.
However, the curse seemly returned for Madden 25. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is the latest victim of the curse. McCaffrey missed most of the 2024 season due to lower leg injuries. He appeared in four games, rushing 50 times for 202 yards and did not score a touchdown.
I think the number of cover athletes who faced setbacks in their careers is hard to ignore. However, injuries and player regression are simply part of the sport. It may be impossible to prove whether the curse is more than just a superstition. One thing is certain—the Madden curse remains a fascinating topic of debate among football and gaming fans.
