Madden Curse History: Inconsistent Results Proves Curse Is Just a Myth

I don't believe in the Madden curse, although for a stretch I was almost converted to popular belief. From 2006 to 2009, the Madden cover athletes were strangely having poor seasons following their appearance on the poly-box of the popular series.

Garrison Hearst's misfortunes after his appearance on the PAL version of Madden 99 is regarded as the beginning of the "curse", per Gonzo of BallHyped.com. I still didn't give any credence to the concept for years.

But when Donovan McNabb, Shaun Alexander, Vince Young and Brett Favre all seemed to fall victim, even I began to wonder.

McNabb missed seven games due to injury in 2005, and he missed being elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in five seasons. Alexander's was perhaps the most drastic fall-off. He missed six games due to a broken foot in 2006, but it also signaled the beginning of the end of his career.

Young didn't experience an injury, but he did play terribly. He threw 17 picks to only nine TD passes in 2007. There is a caveat to his situation, though.

Young was put on the cover prematurely, in my opinion. He had only been in the NFL one season, and he hadn't proved enough in the NFL to warrant the honor.

It is hard to say someone was cursed with a fall-off, when they had never reached a level to fall from.

Lastly in this four-year run of misfortune is Favre. In 2008, Favre's Packers exit began and he wound up in a farce of a run with the NY Jets.

Favre didn't really fall-off; his team situation changed. But nonetheless, things didn't work out as well for him the following year.

This brings me to one of my key points in my criticism of the curse. What exactly are its parameters?

Is it solely based on injury? It can't be that, because Young wasn't injured, nor were several other players.

Is it about statistics? It can't be that either, because Drew Brees lit the NFL on fire in the 2010 season, after he appeared on the cover of Madden 11.

It seems it's just a general term reserved for any misfortune. 

That is why I say it is total garbage.

If you follow any football player—or person for that matter—for an entire season and wait for something bad to happen to them, and then yell "Madden curse!" after he stubs his toe, you could associate this with anything.

Is the definition of avoiding the "curse" to play all 16 games, reach career highs in every category and to have their team perform as good or better than they did the year before?

That's ridiculous.

Plus, believers in the curse routinely ignore the instances that prove the it untrue. For example:

Brees threw for 4,630 yards with 33 touchdowns in 2010, but conspiracy theorists will say "but he also threw a career-high 22 interceptions, and the Saints were upset in the playoffs."

Brees wasn't among the legion of Saints defenders that couldn't tackle Marshawn Lynch while he was in beast mode.

Oh, so now bad things can't happen to his teammates either?

In 2009, Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald shared the cover. Polamalu got injured, but Fitzgerald did not. In fact, Fitzgerald had 97 receptions, 1,092 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns that year.

I get it.

The curse got confused that season with two players on the cover, and it just randomly picked Polamalu to haunt.

In 2004, Ray Lewis became the first defensive player to appear on the cover. He did miss one game, but he had 146 solo tackles.

I know, the Madden "curse" only hates offensive players, right?

Come on people, let's get off it.

It's not real.

Here's to Calvin Johnson tearing up the NFL in all but the two games he plays against my Chicago Bears.

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