A lot of you guys are wondering why Peyton Manning or LaDainian Tomlinson won’t be on the Madden cover. Don’t expect them to be on the Madden 2010 cover, either. I’m praying Tom Brady will but he won’t either. You want to know the reason?
The Madden Curse.
That’s right. The Madden Curse. And if you don’t believe me, take a look at all of the players who have made it on the cover and failed to do anything after that. Being on the Madden cover is horrible.
It will mess up your career. Take a look at Shaun Alexander. Here are my points to which this is true.
Madden 1999: Garrison Hearst
This disappointed me very much. Hearst was one of my favorite running backs of all time. After rushing for 1,570 yards in 1998, Hearst went on the Madden cover.
Well things started to turn out real bad right after that. The year after that he led the 49ers to the playoffs but lost in the divisional round. On the first play of the loss, Hearst hurt his ankle and after that, he missed the 2000 season.
He didn’t play until 2001. Hearst retired in 2007 at age 36 when he was on the Broncos. His last game was in 2004 though when he was still on the Broncos. I just wish Hearst never went on that cover.
Madden 2001: Eddie George
Eddie George was the next contestant to get blemished after the Madden cover. After having a spectacular season in 2000, George went to get graced by Madden cover in 2001.
In 2002, George had 939 yards and five touchdowns. After the cover, he averaged no more than 3.4 yard per carry, which is real bad.
George had 10,441 career rushing yards, 78 touchdowns, and 3.8 yards per carry average. Those 3.8 yards per carry average mostly came from the later years after the cover. George retired in 2006 as a free agent. His last game was with the Dallas Cowboys in 2004.
Madden 2002: Daunte Culpepper
After throwing for 4,000 yards, 33 touchdowns, 470 rushing yards, and seven rushing touchdowns, Culpepper appeared on the 2002 cover of Madden.
The next year after the cover, he had 14 touchdowns and a very bad 13 interceptions. His best year after the cover was in 2004 when he threw for over 4,000 yards and had 39 touchdowns.
After that span, he has been traded a number of three times. He is now on the winless Lions which made it worse. In his time with the Lions he had a 60 QB rating with three touchdowns and six interceptions. That is kind of bad.
Madden 2003: Marshall Faulk
Marshall had a spectacular season before the cover. After the cover, Marshall did have over 1,600 yards but after that, he didn’t even surpass 1,000 rushing yards.
Marshall retired in 2007 as a Ram. In 2006, he didn’t play a single game even though he was still on the roster. The 2003 cover didn’t affect him too much but it did mess up his later career however.
Marshall now is analyst on NFL Network.
Madden 2004: Michael Vick
Oh! We all how this turned out after the cover. The next year after the cover, Vick fractured his fibula and missed most of the season and had 585 passing yards with five touchdowns.
Even though Vick was the first QB to surpass 1,000 rushing yards. But the year after that, Vick was placed for 23 months in prison due to dogfighting and gambling.
Vick looks to be reinstated to the NFL and the Falcons look to trade him. Let’s hope Vick proves and he has learned his lesson to be on the cover and the dogfighting and gambling.
Madden 2005: Ray Lewis
After a good year last year, posting a career-high six interceptions, Lewis was the first defensive player to make it on the Madden cover.
After that, Lewis had his first year without an interception and missed the final game of the season. He missed most of the games that year.
Lewis is still on the Ravens and is still shining. The Madden Curse didn’t harm him too much. Let’s hope.
Madden 2006: Donovan McNabb
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