Is The Madden Curse A Real Thing?
With NFL kickoff just around the corner and the latest Madden cover revealed, the age-old debate resurfaces: Is the Madden Curse real or just a coincidence? From Antonio Brown’s chaotic season to Mahomes’ Super Bowl glory, we dive into the data, the drama, and the superstition.
John Madden during Super Bowl XXXVII - EA Sports Ninth Annual Football Videogame Tournament at Axiom Nightclub in San Diego, California, United States. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
My favorite pastime, the NFL/NCAAFB, is quickly approaching. The NFL pre/regular season kicks off in less than sixty days. The first preseason game is set to kick off on July 31, 2025, in Canton, Ohio, between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers. A few days ago, one of the most anticipated sports games revealed its cover athlete for the new year. The question I have for you: “Is the MADDEN curse a real thing?” The MADDEN curse “is a popular superstition in the NFL, where fans believe that players featured on the cover of the Madden NFL video game are likely to experience injuries or a decline in performance the following season”.
THE CURSE?!
Rob Gronkowski (Gronk) graced the cover of Madden in 2017. During the 2018 NFL season, Rob Gronkowski suffered from Achilles tendonitis & bulging disc. Played in 13 games, had 47 catches, 682 receiving yards, and also had three touchdown receptions. Tom Brady graced the cover the year after Gronk, during the 2019 NFL season. Brady’s 20th and final season with the New England Patriots. He led the team to a 12-4 record and won the AFC East title. The Patriots lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans. BraBrady’s completion percentage for the season was 60.8%, which was his lowest since 2010. Antonio Brown graced Madden in 2019. Then, of course, Brown was traded to the Raiders, almost froze his feet off, whined about his helmet that was outdated, and got released, only to sign with the Patriots and promptly get sued for rape. Christian McCaffrey graced the cover in 2025, spending the entire season dealing with Achilles tendonitis, which also resulted in a career low in rushing yards.
NOT CURSED
Patrick Mahomes graced the Madden 2020 cover. Mahomes didn’t throw down as a result of his video-game fame. An injury cost him two starts, but it made his numbers look better than excellent in 2020. He still won his first Super Bowl at the age of 24. Lamar Jackson would experience a downturn in passing efficiency and durability a few years later. However, his cover season, 2020, was still a star-studded affair, marking his second straight 1,000-yard rushing campaign. For the first time, two current players graced the cover as the past and present faces of the NFL. Brady and Mahomes enjoyed their typical unmatched success after gracing the cover of “Madden” again. Former Patritos legend threw NFL-high 5,300 yards and 43 touchdowns at 44 while taking Tampa Bay back to the playoffs. Mahomes casually tossed 37 touchdowns in a 12-5 season that ended in the AFC title game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Josh Allen was the first Bills player ever to grace the cover. The big-bodied dual threat scored 40-plus total touchdowns for the fourth straight year, serving as the chief reason for the Bills ‘ season turnaround. He remains the centerpiece of the Bills’ Mafia’s hopes.
Final Verdict
This Madden is just something we’ve beaten anytime our favorite players don’t as well after gracing the cover. If your favorite player of your favorite team is gracing the cover, you have to wait and see. It’s just a coin flip at the end of the day. No real way to predict the “do n fall” or” the “continued success of certain players. I will sit back and see how the second season for Saquon Barkley in the Philadelphia Eagles uniform pans out.
