Madden '13 Cover Winner: Why Calvin Johnson Will Reverse Curse

Congratulations, Calvin Johnson. You've just won the honor of gracing the cover of Madden '13...and have stepped into a horrible curse that ruins seasons and sometimes careers. 

Since 1999, EA Sports has been putting a player on the covers of their mainstream additions of the iconic video game. The curse took hold right away. 

Garrison Hearst was the first player to grace the cover. He made it to the playoffs before a gruesome ankle break kept him away from the game for two years, and he was never the same when he could return. 

The curse has not let up since. You can check out the full damage brought on by the curse here. But let me just say, that almost every single person to appear on the cover has suffered through an injury or an unfortunate set of circumstances the following season. 

One player that was able to escape the powers of the curse is the only other receiver to earn this honor: Larry Fitzgerald. He was on the cover in 2010, and went on to have a solid, injury-free season. However, he was not on the cover alone. 

Fitz shared the honor with Troy Polamalu. The super safety was not as fortunate. He played in just five games that year. 

So how will the first receiver to appear solo on the cover fare while dealing with the curse? He will be just fine. 

By only shouldering half of the curse, and surviving, Fitzgerald set the precedent that receivers can avoid the terrible fates that accompany it. 

In the world of logic, that has little bearing on what will happen to Johnson this year. But we aren't dealing with the world of logic. We are dealing with a curse. 

That is not all Johnson has going for him, though. Megatron is a durable dude. In his five seasons, Johnson has missed just four games. And he has consistently produced results. 

After his rookie season, Johnson has caught at least 984 yards worth of passes and hauled in at least 67 catches.

In three of those four seasons, he has caught at least 12 touchdowns. Johnson is also in his prime. He will be turning 27 shortly after the season begins.

Megatron's blend of size, speed, strength and hands make him a true freak of nature. Freaky enough to avoid this disastrous curse.

Now, I just hope I can avoid residual curse effects after saying those dark forces will be thwarted this year.