EA will announce the next cover athlete for the Madden video game franchise on Thursday. In Chicago.
That has fueled rampant rumors that Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will be this year’s choice.
No Bears player has ever graced the cover of the game. The cover athlete nowadays isn’t really on the cover because the game is more commonly downloaded directly to the console. Still, the featured player becomes the centerpiece of the startup process, with video of the player playing repeatedly for everyone preparing to play the game.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley landed on the Madden 26 cover. Before that, it was 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in Madden 25. Bills quarterback Josh Allen got the distinction in Madden 24.
There once was a supposed jinx attached to being on the Madden cover. That chatter ended after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes followed his involvement in Madden 20, released in 2019, with a Super Bowl win to cap the 2019 season.
EA has owned the exclusive console license since NFL 2K5 created a much cheaper and superior product in 2004. And while many complain about Madden, it continues to be the only option when it comes to playing a football video game that looks and feels realistic.
