The "Madden curse" has long haunted NFL players featured on the video game's cover, with Saquon Barkley becoming the latest test case. After appearing on Madden 26, Barkley's 2025 season showed decline from his previous campaign, though he still managed over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. The Eagles also underperformed as a team.

Examining the last 10 cover stars reveals mixed results for the supposed curse. Christian McCaffrey suffered significant injuries after appearing on Madden 25, playing just four games. Josh Allen saw increased interceptions despite solid touchdown numbers. Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady (Madden 22) both had strong seasons without returning to the Super Bowl.

While some cover stars like Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski faced injury issues, others such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Richard Sherman thrived. Caleb Williams now takes his turn as the current Madden cover athlete, with the Chicago Bears quarterback looking to buck the trend and prove the curse is merely myth rather than reality.