Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (2024)

Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey will grace the cover of Madden 25, EA Sports announced Tuesday. That could be either great or terrible news for a star-studded Niners squad desperately looking for a Super Bowl title, depending on how one views the infamous Madden “cover curse.”

For many years, the belief has been that whichever player is featured on the cover of the iconic video game will either miss significant time due to injury or have a major regression in their on-field performance. McCaffrey, 28, is a critical part of San Francisco’s Super Bowl aspirations, so the “curse” working this year could be a big blow to the 49ers’ hopes.

With one major exception, it seems as though the curse has really lost its luster over the past several years. However, many of its victims have been running backs, like McCaffrey. That said, let’s take a look at how Madden cover athletes have fared over the years following the release of the game with their image on it.

(Note: Madden 23, the 2022 edition of the game, did not feature any current player on its cover but instead honored the late John Madden, the legendary former NFL on FOX analyst who also helped design and lent his name to the game. Madden was also featured on every cover of the game until 2000.)

Madden 24: Josh Allen

At one point, it looked like the Madden curse was coming back with a vengeance. The Buffalo Bills were 6-6 after their first 12 games and fired their offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey in the middle of the season. The Bills stormed back with their star QB leading the way, winning their final five games to capture their fourth straight AFC East title. Sure, Buffalo lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City in the divisional round due to a missed field goal that evoked another infamous moment in Bills history, but that’s not the curse we’re focused on.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (1)

Madden 22: Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady

Whatever Madden curse existed in 2021 was no match for two of the game’s greatest players. Mahomes played the entire season, throwing 37 touchdowns and leading the Chiefs to a 12-5 record. The 43-year-old Brady led the league with 5,300 passing yards in his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Neither player ultimately returned to the Super Bowl one year after facing off against each other in the game, but it’s unfair to say their seasons were cursed.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (2)

Madden 21: Lamar Jackson

The defending NFL MVP rushed for over 1,000 yards and led the Baltimore Ravens back to the playoffs, where they avenged the previous year’s postseason defeat by beating the Tennessee Titans on the road in the wild-card round.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (3)

Madden 20: Mahomes

If there was ever a Madden curse-breaker, it was Mahomes, who led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 50 years after his first appearance on the video game’s cover.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (4)

Madden 19: Antonio Brown

Brown did go on to have a productive 2018 season immediately after he was featured on the cover, catching a career-high 15 touchdowns. But the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to reach the playoffs and Brown’s career fell apart soon after as he dealt with numerous off-field issues and clashed with teammates and coaches everywhere he went, including with the Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots and the Bucs. He has only appeared in 16 total games since the 2018 season and none since 2021.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (5)

Madden 18: Brady

The future Hall of Famer finally graced the cover of Madden with 2017’s “GOAT edition” and, sure enough, proved himself immune to the curse, winning the last of his three NFL MVPs and leading the Patriots back to the Super Bowl. Despite losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in that game, it was hardly a cursed season for Brady.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (6)

Madden 17: Rob Gronkowski

Injuries caught up with Gronkowski in 2016, as the superstar tight end only appeared in six games due to a herniated disc in his back and other injury issues. This is still the last instance of a “traditional” Madden cover curse.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (7)

Madden 16: Odell Beckham Jr.

OBJ graced the Madden cover just as his star was ascending heading into his second NFL season, and the curse did not stop his rise. Beckham set career highs in receiving yards (1,450) and touchdown catches (13) in 2015, then helped the New York Giants back to the playoffs with 101 receptions in 2016. Yes, Beckham dealt with injuries and regression in the years that followed, but the peak of his career performance-wise clearly came after he was featured on the Madden cover.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (8)

Madden 15: Richard Sherman

Sherman’s Madden cover appearance also came during the height of his career and also failed to slow him down. At the time of the game’s release, the star cornerback had only made one Pro Bowl; he helped the defending champion Seattle Seahawks back to the Super Bowl that year and made the next three Pro Bowls.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (9)

Madden 25 (2013): Adrian Peterson**

After rushing for over 2,000 yards and winning NFL MVP in 2012, Peterson declined in 2013, running for just 1,266 yards over 14 games that season. He then missed nearly all of 2014 after being indicted on child abuse charges. Though he returned to lead the league in rushing in 2015, his numbers were still well below his MVP level, and Peterson struggled even further in subsequent years.

**Peterson was featured on an alternate cover of the game, while its main cover featured the long-retired Barry Sanders.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (10)

Madden 13: Calvin Johnson

It wouldn’t make sense to claim a player fell victim to the Madden cover curse when that player set the NFL single-season receiving yards record immediately after being featured on the cover. Johnson remained a productive receiver until his retirement after the 2015 season.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (11)

Madden 12: Peyton Hillis

After winning a fan vote to be featured on the cover of the game, Hillis only appeared in 10 games in 2011 due to injury and only averaged 3.6 yards per carry when he was on the field.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (12)

Madden 11: Drew Brees

Brees led the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints back to the playoffs, but also threw a franchise-record 22 interceptions in the process. Brees and the Saints’ 2010 season is best remembered as the one that ended at the hands of Marshawn Lynch and a 7-9 Seahawks squad in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (13)

Madden 10: Larry Fitzgerald, Troy Polamalu

Our first and only split result! The Super Bowl 43 foes had vastly different 2009 seasons. Fitzgerald cemented his superstardom with over 1,000 yards receiving, a career-high 13 touchdown catches and a Pro Bowl nod, while Polamalu was limited to five games and a career-low 20 tackles due to an MCL injury.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (14)

Madden 09: Brett Favre

Jets fans can blame Madden for Favre’s inconsistent season. After the cover featuring Favre in Packers gear was already finalized, the quarterback retired, unretired and forced a trade to the Jets so Green Bay could turn to its signal-caller of the future: Aaron Rodgers. (What’s that they say about time being a flat circle?) Favre struggled with a shoulder injury and threw an NFL-high 22 interceptions as the Jets went 7-9 in his lone season in New York.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (15)

Madden 08: Vince Young

Young led Texas to the college football national title in 2005 and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. In 2007, however, Young was benched late in the season after a 9-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and his career never recovered from there.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (16)

Madden 07: Shaun Alexander

After rushing for over 1,000 yards in five straight seasons, the 2005 NFL MVP rushed for 896 over 10 games in 2006 due to a broken foot and was out of the NFL two years later.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (17)

Madden 06: Donovan McNabb

McNabb followed up a season in which he led the Eagles to the Super Bowl with one in which he missed eight games due to injury and feuded with top receiver Terrell Owens as the Eagles went 6-10.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (18)

Madden 05: Ray Lewis

Leave it to this Ravens franchise icon to beat the curse at the height of its powers. The Ravens missed the playoffs, but Lewis recorded 147 tackles and remained one of the NFL’s best linebackers for nearly a decade afterward.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (19)

Madden 04: Michael Vick

Vick’s extremely skilled avatar in this version of the game is considered one of the greatest video-game characters of all time, but the real-life dual-threat quarterback only played in five games that season due to a fractured fibula.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (20)

Madden 03: Marshall Faulk

After recording 5 straight 1,000-yard seasons, the star Rams running back only started 10 games in 2002 and never reached the 1,000-yard mark again for the rest of his career.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (21)

Madden 02: Daunte Culpepper

Culpepper missed five games due to a knee injury, fumbled 16 times, went 4-7 as a starter, and had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 14-13.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (22)

Madden 01: Eddie George

What curse? George led the NFL in rushing attempts (403) and recorded a career-high 1,509 rush yds and 14 rushing touchdowns.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (23)

Madden 2000: Barry Sanders

Shortly after he was announced as the first non-John Madden cover star of the game, Sanders abruptly retired before the 1999 season and never played in the NFL again. Madden returned to the cover for one final time (before 2023), while Sanders finally got his appearance as the main cover star of the 25th-anniversary edition of the game in 2013.

VERDICT:

Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (24)

Barry Sanders abruptly retired before he had a chance to be the Madden 2000 cover star, but he finally got his opportunity with Madden 25 in 2013.

FINAL TALLY: 14 cursed, 11 not cursed

History still leans towards there being a Madden cover curse. But with only one “cursed” player since 2016, Allen and Bills fans can rest easy that the current trend is favoring a great season for the quarterback in 2023 and beyond.

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Madden cover curse: Does it still exist, could it impact Christian McCaffrey? - Cube Jax (2024)

FAQs

Has a 49er ever been on the cover of Madden? ›

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been named the cover athlete for Madden NFL 25. He's the first 49ers player who's ever been on the cover and he's the third running back along with Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders to be featured on the front of the game.

Who was on the 1999 Madden cover? ›

1999: Garrison Hearst

EA Sports decided to put a player on the cover, and the San Francisco 49ers' running back, Garrison Hearst, was chosen. Hearst was breaking records and was destined for the Hall of Fame. But after being honored with the cover, he led the 49ers into the playoffs, where he broke his ankle.

When was Calvin Johnson on the cover of Madden? ›

Madden 2013: Calvin Johnson

The next year's fan vote went a bit more smoothly, as Calvin Johnson beat out Cam Newton to get the cover spot. Johnson was an All-Pro in 2011, catching 96 passes for 1,681 yards. He's also a strong argument against the curse, as in 2012 he had a career-best 122 catches for 1,964 yards.

Who is on the cover of Madden 2000? ›

Madden NFL 2000 - John Madden

This was the last year the man himself was on the cover. The game included an improved Franchise mode, which let multiple owners participate in the same season. 2000 was also the first iteration of the game that was ported to the Game Boy Color.

Has there ever been a cowboy on the Madden cover? ›

That year, Owens caught 81 balls for 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also earned First Team All Pro honors during the same season. This is the first time the Cowboys uniform has ever graced the cover of a Madden game, and the second time Terrell Owens will be on the cover of a professional football video game.

Has Drew Brees been on the cover of Madden? ›

Brees, who led his team to a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in this year's Super Bowl, said landing the cover of "Madden" was "a great way to cap off an amazing year."

Has anyone ever broke the Madden curse? ›

If there was ever a Madden curse-breaker, it was Mahomes, who led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 50 years after his first appearance on the video game's cover.

Has John Madden ever been on the cover of Madden? ›

It's an honor for players to be selected as the face of the video game for a season. Four Hall of Famers have graced the cover. They include Madden (1989-2000), Marshall Faulk (2003), Brett Favre (2009) and Barry Sanders (2013). The popular game has made more than $3 billion in revenue since 1988.

What year was Gronk on the Madden cover? ›

Rob Gronkowski Named 'Madden NFL 17' Cover Athlete.

Who was Madden 13 cover? ›

The cover features Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions.

Who was Madden cover 12? ›

Peyton Hillis, running back for the Cleveland Browns, was selected by millions of fans across the country to grace the cover of Madden NFL 12.

Who was on Madden Cover 07? ›

Former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander is on the cover. North American cover art featuring Shaun Alexander.

Who has had the Madden curse? ›

The Madden curse started off with a bang with its first ever player cover in 2000: Barry Sanders. The legendary Detroit Lions RB abruptly retired in 1999 and never even stepped on the field that season. Three victims immediately followed in Eddie George (2001), Daunte Culpepper (2002) and Marshall Faulk (2003).

Who was on the cover of Madden 04? ›

Michael Vick has returned to the Madden video game franchise 20 years after the then-Atlanta Falcons quarterback graced the cover of "Madden 04" and became what is widely considered one of the most unstoppable sports video game characters of all time.

Who was on the cover of Madden 08? ›

It is the 19th installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. It features Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young on the cover, and San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo was the cover athlete for the Spanish-language version. This was the first Madden game made for 11 different platforms.

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