The Madden Curse: 10 Biggest Madden NFL Cover Busts

With Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley being announced as Madden 26 cover, is he headed for a down year? Joey looks at 10 of the biggest Madden cover busts since 2000.

It was recently announced that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is the new cover athlete for Madden NFL 26. Barkley is much deserving of this recognition following a career year. Barkley ran for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns while finishing third in the MVP voting.

However, gracing the Madden cover has led to some controversy. Several players who have been on the Madden cover have gone on to have a disappointing season the year they were featured. That has led to the Madden curse being thrown around over the years.

So, is the Madden curse a real thing? Is Barkley set to fall under this curse during the 2025-2026 season? Let's dive in and look at the 10 biggest Madden cover busts in the game's history.

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Daunte Culpepper, Madden 2002

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper was the second athlete to ever be featured on the Madden cover. He was much deserving following a Pro Bowl campaign in 2000. He threw for 3,937 yards and 33 touchdowns that year and led the Vikings to the playoffs. However, Culpepper was really the first major recipient of the Madden curse. 

He struggled during the year he was on the Madden 2002 cover, throwing for just 2,612 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. The Vikings quarterback also suffered a knee injury that ended his season early in Week 12. It was an all-around disaster 2021 campaign for Culpepper. 

Michael Vick, Madden 2004

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was coming off a dominant 2002 season in which he finished tied for fourth in the MVP voting. He was no doubt one of the best up-and-coming quarterbacks after throwing for 2,963 yards and rushing for 777 yards in his Pro Bowl campaign. Unfortunately, Vick fell victim to the Madden Curse.

From one Madden cover athlete + Eagle to another - congratulations @saquon! #Madden26 #ad https://t.co/oBXbWxdQZ2 pic.twitter.com/1DdLamlnPH

— Michael Vick (@MichaelVick) June 2, 2025

He was selected to grace the Madden 2004 cover but was injured in a preseason game. Vick fractured his right fibula and missed the first 12 weeks of the year. He is definitely up there for the biggest Madden cover busts in the game's history. The Falcons quarterback only played in five games during that 2023 season. 

Donovan McNabb, Madden NFL 06

The last time an Eagles player was on the Madden cover was back in 2005 when quarterback Donovan McNabb was featured on Madden NFL 06. McNabb just led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl and notched his fourth straight Pro Bowl campaign. He threw for 3,875 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions during the 2004 season. 

McNabb, though, fell into the Madden curse. He only played in nine games during the 2005 season after undergoing season-ending sports hernia surgery in November. That sports hernia injury first popped up in training camp and was a major factor in his poor numbers throughout the year. The Eagles quarterback had just a 1.78 touchdown-to-interception ratio that season. 

Shaun Alexander, Madden NFL 07

Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander was arguably the best player in the NFL in 2005. He won MVP and Offensive Player of the Year behind a 1,880-yard, 27-touchdown rushing season. So, it really didn't surprise anyone when Alexander was the featured athlete on Madden NFL 07. 

Following that career year, Alexander wasn't as dominant the next season. He only rushed for 896 yards (his fewest in a season since 2000) and dealt with a broken foot that caused him to miss six weeks. Although the running back returned in Week 11, he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in the final seven games once he returned. 

Vince Young, Madden NFL 08

The Madden curse was in full effect at this point, and EA had its eyes set on the next cover athlete. The company wanted reigning MVP LaDainian Tomlinson to be the face of the game for Madden NFL 08. However, the running back declined the offer, and EA pivoted to up-and-coming quarterback Vince Young. 

Young was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season in 2006 and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, the Titans quarterback had a rough sophomore campaign, succumbing to the Madden curse. He threw just 2,546 yards, nine touchdowns, and 17 interceptions across 15 games during the 2007 season. It's safe to say that the young quarterback wishes Tomlinson had accepted that original offer. 

Brett Favre, Madden NFL 09

There's no doubt that quarterback Brett Favre deserved to be on the Madden NFL 09 cover after he decided to retire before the 2008 campaign. He had a fantastic season that year, and it was an appropriate way to celebrate a future Hall of Famer. Favre threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns while helping lead the Green Bay Packers to a 13-3 record in the regular season. 

Nevertheless, Favre eventually unretired and was traded to the New York Jets before the 2008 season. While he did make the Pro Bowl that year, the veteran dealt with a torn biceps tendon in his right arm for most of the second half. That surely affected his play down the stretch, as he was a big reason why the Jets went 1-4 in the final five games to miss the playoffs. 

Troy Polamalu & Larry Fitzgerald, Madden NFL 10

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were the first two athletes to be featured on the same cover in the game's history. Both players were key factors in helping their teams reach the Super Bowl during the 2008 season. Polamalu totaled seven interceptions, and Fitzgerald totaled 1,431 receiving yards in the regular season. 

.@Saquon hurdled his way onto the cover of #Madden26

Coming 8.14.25. Pre-Order Today.

🔗: https://t.co/zm14BbUaJf pic.twitter.com/l1QYWN0b7h

— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) June 2, 2025

With the Madden curse playing a factor in each of the past four seasons, one of these players was going to be affected by it. It so happens that Polamalu couldn't overcome the curse. The Steelers safety played in just five games in 2009 due to a nagging knee injury. He suffered an MCL injury in the season opener before re-injuring that same knee in Week 10. 

Peyton Hillis, Madden NFL 12

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis broke out in his third NFL season in 2010. He rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns while also catching 61 passes for 477 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game. That strong campaign helped Hillis beat Vick in the final round of the Madden NFL 12 cover athlete fan vote. 

However, Hillis turned out to be one of the biggest victims of the Madden curse in the game's history. He only rushed for 587 yards and three touchdowns the next year and missed multiple games due to a hamstring injury. He also sat out one game earlier in the year due to strep throat. All in all, it was a season to forget for him. 

Rob Gronkowski, Madden NFL 17

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski deserved to be on the cover of Madden NFL 17. He put up over 1,100 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons (2014 and 2015) and really became well-loved around the league. But not even Gronkowski could escape the Madden curse. Although the tight end won a Super Bowl that year, he wasn't the reason why. 

He only appeared in eight games during that 2016 season after suffering a season-ending back injury later in the year. In those eight contests, Gronkowski totaled just 25 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns. Those 540 receiving yards were the fewest in any season in his 11-year career. 

Christian McCaffrey, Madden NFL 25

The latest Madden curse victim is San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. The explosive playmaker just totaled over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns in 2023 and was no doubt deserving of being the cover athlete of Madden NFL 25. However, McCaffrey couldn't stay healthy this past season. 

Games played from the last four running backs to make the Madden cover:

Christian McCaffrey (played 4 games the next season)
Barry Sanders (0 games)
Peyton Hillis (10 games)
Shaun Alexander (10 games) https://t.co/VaYHsD3lPL

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) June 2, 2025

The 49ers running back dealt with bilateral Achilles tendinitis during training camp, which caused him to miss the first eight games of the 2024 campaign. After playing in four games, McCaffrey eventually suffered a season-ending PCL injury in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills. He was yet another cover athlete who couldn't overcome the Madden curse. 

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