EA Sports revealed on Tuesday that Christian McCaffrey, the dynamic running back for the San Francisco 49ers, will be featured on the cover of Madden NFL 25, set for release later this summer.
When asked about the notorious curse associated with gracing the cover of the NFL’s annual video game, McCaffrey was unfazed.
Speaking to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, he expressed his excitement about the honor. “I’m not superstitious at all. When I got the call, I was in shock—overjoyed really. It was something I never imagined would happen to me. The idea of a curse? I think that’s more myth than anything. Whatever happens will happen,” McCaffrey shared.
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The tradition of featuring athletes on the cover of Madden began after the 2001 edition.
John Madden himself adorned the cover from the game’s inception in 1988 until then. Since Eddie George’s appearance on the 2001 cover, several NFL stars like Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, and Peyton Hillis have also been featured.
However, some athletes like Vick experienced significant injuries shortly after their appearances, contributing to the legend of the “Madden curse.”
Vick suffered a severe injury right after Madden ’04 was released, and similar fates befell Donovan McNabb and Shaun Alexander in subsequent years.
Despite these incidents, not every player has suffered—Calvin Johnson broke the receiving yards record the year he was featured on Madden ’13, and Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes continued to find success following their cover appearances.
McCaffrey, however, is not concerned with the superstitions surrounding the cover spot. He’s focused on his career and the honor of being part of a game that has featured many greats before him.
