Madden Cover Curse: Ranking the NFL's Most Affected Athletes...and a Poem!

Every year, as EA Sports' list of potential cover athletes narrows, the public anxiously awaits, wondering who will be the next Madden Cover Curse victim.

On August 30, 2011, the newest addition to the "Madden NFL" video game franchise will be released, and the Cleveland Browns’ Peyton Hillis will be the featured cover athlete.  While the city of Cleveland has awaited some overdue recognition for its football team, it has also been deprived of promise and potential. 

If the alleged Madden Cover Curse has its way, Cleveland will get a load of potential, in the form of potential energy.  Potential energy is “stored energy,” like a still rubber band when it is stretched…or, being a bit less literal, a running back sitting on the injured reserve list, chomping at the bit to play!

For better than a decade, the controller classic has been associated with players who seemingly come upon misfortune. 

As a strong correlation began between the cover athletes and bad luck, the public began insisting on the Madden Cover Curse, a plague that has flattened some of the game’s finest athletes.

Beginning in 1999, the game franchise began placing NFL players on its cover, a positive step forward from the Madden self-portraits that so vainly displayed the spokesman throughout the earlier part of the 1990s. 

Most people believe the odd trend began two years later, in 2001.  Madden 2000 featured images of Barry Sanders in the background, with limited editions displaying Dorsey Levens.  Barry retired of his own free will, while Levens played well.

Yet, there is a contingent of believers who pre-date the curse, arguing that it began in 1999, citing that Barry Sanders was in the background and Levens appeared on limited copies of the game, thus eliminating them from curse eligibility by some undisclosed Madden by-laws.

On the 1999 edition, the cover was graced by 49ers running back Garrison Hearst.  In Week 1 of the 1998 season (the Madden NFL franchise dates itself for the upcoming year), his 98-yard overtime touchdown run planted seeds for a Madden Cover Blessing. 

Fate merely smirked as Hearst broke his leg in the first quarter of the 49ers playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Whether you believe in the curse or not, there is no denying that an odd phenomenon is occurring.  To put perspective on the events, I will rank the cover athletes in ascending order based on the impact that the cover curse had on them. 

Including Hearst, there have been 13 athletes to arguably be affected.  This list will not include Barry Sanders, who will tell you that retirement was the best thing for him.  Another absence is Dorsey Levens, who had a stellar year, though it can be argued his career rapidly deteriorated after 2000.

Before the players are ranked, please enjoy the following poem, inspired by these events that have conspiracy theorists in mild euphoria and cover athletes in seeming dysphoria.

 COVER CURSE EN ODE

Johnny Madden was his name,

Creator of a football game.

Athletes became gaming lovers

Longing to be on his cover!

BOOM!  WHAP! SPLAT! POW!

Duck and cover, Holy Cow!

BOOM!  WHAP! POW! SPLAT!

Where's the cover athlete at?

SPLAT! POW! BOOM! WHAP!

He's wearing the Ace bandage wrap!

SPLAT! POW! WHAP! BOOM!

'Cuz Madden's cover preludes DOOM!

Palumalu, Brees and Marshall's

Ligaments were all in parcels!

"What time is it?!" Ray Lewis chanted.

"Not game time!" his team recanted. 

Alexander's seven scores

Were pitiful, pathetic, poor...

Nine touchdowns cured Young's dejection,

Too bad for all the interceptions!

Madden started keeping tabs

On healthy Donovan McNabb,

Who blew off critic's "curse" reactions

But it was tougher than Tinactin!

CRUNCH! SMOOSH! KABOOM! CRACK!

Where's the Eagles' quarterback?

CRUNCH! SMOOSH! CRACK! KABOOM!

He's layin' in the rehab room!

KABOOM! CRACK! SMOOSH! CRUNCH!

Despite that Chunky soup for lunch…

KABOOM! CRACK! CRUNCH! SMOOSH!

The curse kicked in his wing-ed tush!

From Eddie George to Michael Vick

The cover was like arsenic!

Money was the honey-suckle

That led to knees and ankles buckled!

For Madden's cover is the "how"

To automatic "cash cow now!"

Despite the money 'twas projected,

Our superstars were left dejected.

Seasons fell right off of the brink

And drained right down the kitchen sink

As major athletes cover-graced,

A bloody bulls-eye for a brace.

SMACK! THOOM! POP! POW!

Golly-jeepers, tell me how!

SMACK! THOOM! POW! POP!

To make this cover curse just stop!

POP! POW! THOOM! SMACK!

No end's in sight for this attack…

POP! POW! SMACK! THOOM!

So long as Madden's saying, "BOOM!"

The Curse Gage

As we count down the impact ranking of the Madden Cover Curse on its various star spokespersons, you will notice a numerical rating (out of 10) listed at the top of each slide.  This is the curse gage, and it will be a measurement of the clear impact that an alleged curse (if any) seemingly could have had on the athlete's misfortunes.

Each year, we watch the cover athlete closely, waiting for an injury or bad break (both literally and figuratively) to occur. 

Yet, how long can we wait for the curse to take effect?  Also, if the star athlete demonstrates traits that are already conducive to their demise or show a pattern of misfortune preceding the endorsement—how can we fairly associate those events with the cover curse?

My considerations for the curse gage are:

1. Games missed
2. The obvious impact of the injury or events
3. Punctuality—did it occur that season?
4. If it did not occur in a particular season. What long term consequences did the player suffer?
5. Prior incidents or athlete tendencies. Was this out of the ordinary?

Keep in mind the NFL is a violent game.  Curses are fun speculations, and they create an appetizing entree for intrigued followers.

Yet, in a game where 69 percent of players are injured (to any degree) during the season and over 10 percent of injuries require placement on the injured reserve, a career of 10-plus seasons nearly guarantees some eventual bad luck.

So, severity and immediate impact are key for a high curse gage and a top spot in this ranking.

Enjoy the list, so long as you're not on it!

Curse Case No. 13: The Curse Wasn't Scary for Larry

CURSE GAGE: 0.5 (out of 10)

Larry Fitzgerald owned the 2009 NFL postseason.  NFL coaches salivate over retrievers at receiver—the guys who will go up and get anything. 

Larry Fitzgerald is the retriever.

After manhandling the Eagles secondary for three touchdowns in the first half of the NFC Championship Game, "Fitz" scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIII. 

His heroics nearly brought the Arizona Cardinals back from a 20-7 deficit, but the Steelers secured a sixth Lombardi Trophy with the "stuff of legend," a final drive that included magnificent playmaking from key offensive stars Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes.

After the "stuff of legend" prevented the mighty receiver from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in his reliable hands, the All-Star continued to be the "legend of stuff" in 2009, scoring touchdowns, making acrobatic catches and stuffing the football right down his opponents throats for 97 catches and over 1,000 yards.

Yet, on December 14th, during a Monday Night Football blowout loss to the 49ers, Fitzgerald injured his right knee.  He returned the next week, but in the final three games, he made only 12 catches (enough to make most young receivers jealous!) and barely gained 100 yards.

Unyielding, the receiver got two touchdowns in a Wild Card (aptly named) playoff against the Green Bay Packers, won 51-45 by Arizona in overtime.  Nevertheless, the season ended in New Orleans the following week.

Supporters of the curse cause will reference the knee tweak and loss in production over the final weeks.  Still, he did catch a touchdown in all of the above-referenced final three regular-season games. 

A fully healthy Fitzgerald may have owned NFL secondaries in January sans the bum knee, but it would be rare to find the fan who believes it would have propelled the Cardinals to victory over the Saints.

Curse Case No. 12: Drew Brees Gets off Easy in the Big Easy

CURSE GAGE: 1.5 (out of 10)

Everybody realized after an explosive 2009 campaign culminated in the New Orleans Saints first championship that there would be an inevitable decline, albeit even miniscule.

And there was.  But it was miniscule, indeed.

The Saints didn't score a record number of points, and their offense didn't always put up numbers like a ping-pong machine.  New Orleans still won, and Drew Brees had another solid campaign.

2010 saw the quarterback throw 33 touchdowns, only a single score shy of his more polished 2009 season. 

The polish wore off in the form of turnovers. New Orleans lost the NFC South to Atlanta, and Drew Brees's 22 interceptions certainly contributed to that outcome.

Sure, the Saints turned the ball over more often. 

Granted, they had fewer points. 

Their defense played solidly, and Brees still had an All-Pro season. 

Heck, having been on the cover of Madden NFL '09, it seemed he was lucky to even still have his head.  By 2010, the curse was widely recognized and discussed; fans would find a way to associate his play with bad luck. 

Most curse-crazed fans will note that Brees's downfall came in the postseason, where the defending champion Saints had to travel to Seattle for the Wild Card playoffs.

The Seahawks had a losing record, and the losses had been coming frequently and in lopsided fashion since their winning record in early October.  The low point was a 33-3 loss at Oakland followed by a 34-point loss at home versus the New York Giants.

At Qwest Field, the 12th Man (the fans) create a great home-field advantage, and Seattle took advantage, defeating the Saints 41-36 and denying Brees his title defense.

Yet, is it really HIS title that was not defensed as much as the Saints?  The loss was a team effort, and the offense was hardly to blame.  It was the defense, and 2009 playoff MVP Tracy Porter, that refused to tackle Marshawn Lynch—not Brees! 

In fact, the Saints QB threw for over 400 yards in the contest, a competitive game in which every yard ultimately mattered.

Like Fitzgerald at No. 13, the season came to a disappointing end, but it will always do that for approximately 31 out of every 32 NFL players.  

Despite the playoff loss, Brees had a great season.  He ranks, however, due to critical turnovers that may have otherwise propelled New Orleans to another division title...

And, of course, being on the only team to lose to a playoff qualifier with a losing record!

Curse Case No. 11: Vince Young Decides To Be Himself

CURSE GAGE: four (out of 10)

Fans debate about Vince Young. 

Some argue that his value warrants his opportunity to propel a needy team at the quarterback position.

Others see his inconsistent behavior, play and reputation as a sure-fire detraction from his natural athletic skills.

Those same skills were showcased in the BCS National Title Game, an epic that saw the Texas Longhorns rally to defeat the USC Trojans on a late Vince Young touchdown scamper.

With scrutinous eyes upon him, Young entered the NFL in 2006, and he started for the Titans almost immediately.  His rookie campaign was acceptable; his team missed the playoffs, as expected, but he threw 12 touchdowns and got starting experience.

As he graced the Madden cover prior to the 2007 season, he was a heralded man.  The quarterback had a day named after him in Texas.  The NFL saw him as a mature young quarterback with great "potential," a word overused as much in football as all of sports.

In 2007, the Titans made the NFL playoffs.  A great deal of attention focused on Young's "multi-dimensional" play at quarterback, an oddity considering his horrific passing numbers.  Critics scoured over his numbers, a paltry 71.1 quarterback rating with nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Despite his passing deficiencies, the combination of his athleticism (he rushed for 395 yards) and a magnificent defense allowed the Titans to be successful.

Statistically, Vince Young's sophomore season was an extreme step in the wrong direction, but journalists were undaunted in their pursuit to give V.Y. the acclaim he hadn't earned.

2008 saw the bottom begin to fall, as Young had an extremely negative reaction to being booed by a home crowd during a 17-10 win over Jacksonville.  He had thrown an interception, causing the negative uproar. Kerry Collins ultimately led Tennessee in 2008, a 13-3 season with 12 touchdowns against only 7 interceptions. This was a marked improvement.

And, we all realize the tumultuous relationship that Young and coach Jeff Fisher had going forward.

On one hand, the Madden Curse can be attributed by fans of the supernatural for shifting a fine, young quarterback by perception into a crybaby turnover machine.

I'd argue that that V.Y. is just V.Y., and we just needed time to see his immaturity and misplaced college throwing arm (hello, Terrell Pryor!) on display. 

Nevertheless...can't deny a clear turning point when I see one!

Curse Case No. 10: Bitter Injury for Sugar Ray

CURSE GAGE: four (out of 10)

Ray Lewis demands respect.

Personal opinions aside, all fans have to admire his passion for the game.

He is irrefutably the greatest leader that the Baltimore Ravens will ever field, and he is the defensive heartbeat of a unit that has been among the NFL's fiercest for over a decade.

An iron man, the linebacker hits with sheer aggression, getting back up every time to deliver more punishment.

Well, almost every time...

In reality, the 2004 season that followed Lewis's cover appearance was one of his finest statistical campaigns. He had 146 tackles, though the curse sustained life support from the linebacker's broken hand. Due to the injury, Lewis's interception total dropped from a career-high six in 2003 to zero.

If 2004 saw a mild chink in the armor, 2005 saw a hero fall on his shield.  A season delayed, the linebacker dubbed warrior missed the majority of the season. 

The only reason the curse gage ranks this impact so lowly is timing. Yes, Ray almost never falls to injury, but when cover athletes are selected, that year is spent closely examining their play, waiting for their demise.  If we are allowed to extend the curse beyond that initial season, is it really justifiable as a curse or just the regular odds of an eventual injury from a physical game?

Guys like Ray Lewis are perceived as invincible, soliciting a great deal of attention when they're injured. 

I'm still taking points away for the delay.  Technically, we could ascribe anything to be a curse if we are able to wait for the proper events to unfold!  Yet, Lewis did sustain an injury in 2004 that limited his effectiveness before his severely shortened 2005 season.

Curse Case No. 9: Eddie George Meets Ray Lewis at the Court of Public Opinion

CURSE GAGE: five (out of 10)

In 2000, Eddie George treated his Madden fame as a platform for vindication, proving his excellence with a 1,500-yard season. 

Then, on January 7, 2001, Eddie met Ray.

In a divisional playoff affair between two rivals, the Titans sought victory at a home where they dominated, Adelphia Coliseum.  They were the favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XXXV, a year removed from losing to the Rams in the event by a lone yard.

The game started well.  A game plan that centered around the running back saw his early touchdown spot Tennessee a 7-0 lead.  From there, yards would come at a premium.

George churned out 90-plus hard-earned rushing yards, and he caught eight passes for 52 yards.  It would seem statistically that he had a fine day, contributing to the Titans' offense.   Yet, those viewing the game could see that it was the Ravens defense gaining swagger as bodies collided.

Trailing 17-10 late in the game, McNair threw a critical pass into the flat to George.  Replays show that the running back looks over his shoulder toward approaching Ray Lewis, who was pursuing the play.  In an instant of distraction, the ball bobbled off of George's hands, and Lewis scooped it out of the air.  Ray shook off an attempted tackle by the hard-nosed runner, and the damage was done. 

It seemed as though Ray Lewis had truly and fully intimidated Eddie George into submission.  And, worst of all, the evidence was on video. 

The Titans season ended, and the Ravens were going to ruin George's reputation as a blue-chipper in the process.

Chris McCalister told the media that George "folded up like a baby."

The Ravens spoke to George running soft against them.

From there, in spite of his physical gifts and power running, the Ravens planted a stigma that stayed with George in many NFL fan circles. The Heisman Trophy winner's accomplishments suddenly seemed less impressive to the public eye. 

The solution was simple: 2001.  Sadly, the solution only served as unfair vindication of the alleged "softness" attributed to a powerful runner.

In 2001, Eddie George had his poorest season, running for under 1,000 yards and only scoring five touchdowns.  He averaged a meager 3.0 ypc.   The damning statistic was eight fumbles, of which only two were recovered by the Titans.

Sometimes, against all fairness, a single moment defines an NFL player.  Baltimore, the big, bad bullies, placed that stamp with super glue.

Curse Case No. 8: The Fall of Troy

CURSE GAGE: five (out of 10)

In the category of not wasting time, the "Madden Trophy" for fastest spell would go to Troy Polamalu. 

Actually, it would probably be Brett Favre or Mike Vick.  Whatever!  This was quick!

Yet, for its immediate impact, what else was new?  Troy's play can be likened to an early nickname, "The Tazmanian Devil," his banshee-like reckless abandon placing him on the injury list more than once.

In attempting to block a Titans field goal in the 2009 NFL opener, the safety injured his knee.  Attempts to return during the season failed, and the Steelers' defensive leader would miss nearly the entire 2009 season. 

For Steelers fans, a season of watching Tyrone Carter flailing in the secondary conjured past images of Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington, two cornerbacks who rapidly regressed during their tenure as the Steelers' cornerback tandem.  The poor play of the duo eventually made Cleveland Browns QB Kelly Holcomb (even for his excellence...) look like the second coming of Dan Marino in a Wild Card playoff game.

Make no mistake that the injury to Troy was devastating, and it had impact on a five-game losing skid that cost the Steelers an opportunity to defend their title. 

Yet, losing Troy is always devastating for Pittsburgh.  He is a critical element of the Pittsburgh defense, so far that his injuries in the 2011 playoffs may have (in part) prevented the Steelers from obtaining their seventh championship.

The Madden Curse has brought iron men down to their knees, taken superstars and imploded them into their own legacy like an enormous black hole and cut careers short.

In this case, it caused devastation, but it was devastation that had been seen in the past.  Troy's style of play makes him susceptible to injuries, though it can be argued this particular injury came on a play that was more innocent that 99 percent of his always authoritative tackles. 

Whether viewed as a broken record player or new case of the same outcome, another injury to No. 43 caused irreparable damage to the Steelers' championship aspirations.

Curse Case No. 7: Donovan Mc-Nabbed

CURSE GAGE: 7.5 (out of 10)

Another season, another athlete.  This time, quarterback Donovan McNabb would be nabbed by all of the bad karma.

Following a standout season in which the Philadelphia Eagles played in the Super Bowl, many experts pegged the star-studded roster to win the Lombardi Trophy entering 2005.

Terrell Owens was injured in 2004, yet vowed to play in the Super Bowl.  Despite a broken leg that occurred just weeks earlier, T.O. did participate in the "Big Game," leading all Eagles receivers in receptions and yardage.

Great, right? 

Super wrong.

Owens wanted more money, demanded a new contract, had verbal altercations with coach Andy Reid and coordinator Brad Childress, arranged exercise sessions from his home, burnt bridges in the locker room and questioned the abilities of Donovan McNabb.

Owens would ultimately be suspended for the season before the Eagles traded him, and the entire season was a circus of distractions for McNabb and his team.  Questions regarding everything from his relationship with Owens to the team's struggles had already dissolved the season into a sideshow.

Then, a plague of injuries added up.  McNabb, playing through a sport hernia, injured his groin against Dallas.  Atop of a slew of ailments, the quarterback's season ended.  After five straight playoff seasons, four consecutive trips to the NFC Championship Game and multiple Pro Bowls, the Eagles finished with a losing record.

McNabb would ultimately come back for a healthy campaign and return to the playoffs in 2006, but analysts would never pay him the unquestioned respect he garnered during his first five years in Philadelphia.

Curse Case No. 6: Hearst's Cover Blessing Becomes the Cover Curse

CURSE GAGE: 8.5 (out of 10)

Cover Boy No. 1. 

Opening Day of 1998.  Garrison Heart, the man who replaced John Madden on the cover of his own video game, ran 20 times for 187 yards.  That's 9.4 yards per carry, largely buoyed by the longest overtime run in NFL history, a 98-yard winning touchdown against the New York Jets.

1,500 rushing yards.

Over 2,000 all-purpose yards.

5.1 per carry.

The Madden Cover Blessing was on!  It was time for every athlete to get on the waiting list.

One hundred twenty-eight yards with just under six yards per attempt allowed the 49ers offense to be in position to upset the Green Bay Packers, two-time consecutive NFL Champions, for the first time in their third straight playoff contest.

With Garrison running stronger as the season ended and playoffs commenced, most fans could foresee San Francisco upsetting their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, setting up a premier match-up for the NFC Championship Game.

It was, per the court of public opinion, going to be Steve Young's 49ers looking to upset the record-breaking Vikings in the Metrodome.

One carry, seven yards, one broken leg.

It begs the question:  is it better to trip up immediately or to be built up for a farther fall?

Hearst would exit the game on the first play from scrimmage.  He would miss the 1999 and 2000 seasons. 

He returned for 2001, rushing for over 1,000 yards.  It was the last time he would eclipse the benchmark.

A season of promise ended in a literal snap.  Garrison Hearst would never be the same.

Curse Case No. 5: Vick-tim?

CURSE GAGE: nine (out of 10)

The 2003 preseason was devastating to the Atlanta Falcons and fans of football nationwide.

In their second preseason game, Michael Vick went down with a broken leg, slated to miss up to four weeks. 

Shortly after, the diagnosis grew more grim.

The electrifying running quarterback had bolstered the Falcons to contention.  In 2002, he threw for 16 touchdowns against only eight interceptions, and his dual threat capabilities opened up Atlanta's running attack.  Warrick Dunn feasted.

He was more than the new breed of quarterback, a sort of Cunningham 2.0.  He was perceived as a classy individual, the type of fine institution for motherhood to show America's daughters the finer points of chivalry.  He was the good guy. 

On the field, he was the team leader, and his teammates responded to his exuberance and enthusiasm.  By numerous accounts, Michael Vick was a natural leader of men, and Atlanta was going to be a remarkable successful franchise with their elite athlete under center.

Then, the Madden Curse took it's cue from the Hearst file, only much sooner.  Vick broke his leg in the second preseason game. 

Vick had such a profound impact on the NFL landscape.  He was a fantasy football fixture, the key to Atlanta's success, and a huge cog in the league's marketing machine.  Seeing him crumpled on the carpet led to cries for the near-ousting of preseason football, further supporting a growing sentiment regarding the excessive number of the league's exhibitions.

Before and after his injury, the Falcons went to the playoffs, winning at least one game in both postseasons. 

With his leg casted, the Falcons finished 5-11. Doug Johnson was entirely ineffective. Three of Atlanta's wins came after Vick returned to the lineup. 

Beyond the injury, the quarterback's return to prominence was short-lived. He eventually came under mass criticism for his apparent inablility as a confident passer. By 2005, defenses had adjusted for the new breed of "running quarterbacks," and it was obvious Vick's passing skills needed improvement.  The team fell to 7-9 in both 2005 and 2006.

After their fall from the NFL's elite, the Falcons' fall from grace became complete as "Bad Newz Kennels" became bad news for more than the dogs that were abused.  Yet, only a fool would attribute that to any curse.

Curse Case No. 4: Packer Sent Packing

CURSE GAGE: 9.2 (out of 10)

Sounds like carve, only spelled differently.

The letters on the back of his jersey say it all; there was always something backward about Brett.

Normally, his odd ways were attributed to his fun-loving attitude, easy-go-lucky approach to the game (I'm in no way implying he wasn't a hard worker), and catchy quirks that fed ESPN like a sport cornucopia.

His most memorable abnormality was indecisiveness.

For his years of loyal service, apparently Brett felt entitled to his roster spot in Green Bay.  After announcing retirement off the heels of a 13-3 season and overtime loss to the Giants in the NFC Championship, the Packers conducted their offseason, prepared for a future without the great No. 4.

Aaron Rodgers, patiently in the shadows, would be the new face of Titletown. Apparently, Favre figured he was too entrenched to be denied a comeback, insisting that Green Bay should allow him to return. This would have meant benching Rodgers.

As history has unfolded, fans now know the right decision was made by the Packers franchise.  At the time, football fans took the news with some unrest. 

How could Green Bay turn their back on the quarterback who put their franchise back on the map?

And, so it occurred that after lengthy attorney-led interjections and numerous discussions regarding everything from his return to the contingencies of where he could play, that Brett Favre was sent packing to Broadway.

As loyal NFL fans picked up their copies of the annual Madden game, Favre graced the cover, proudly garbed in his traditional green.  Yet, it was the wrong green.

In perhaps the oddest of the perceived curses, some gamers received alternate covers with Brett's New York Jets uniform; others printed it. A select few surely left the cover intact, impressed with the irony of their purchase.

After announcing that Favre would not return to the team, it was apparent to everybody that the quarterback's new intention would be to "stick it" to the Pack, but he'd have to wait a full year.  After all, there was a curse to be fully worked out...

At 8-3, the Packers had recently beaten the Patriots and Titans on the road, two perennial contenders in 2008. 

In the season's final five games, Favre his an obvious wall.  He threw two touchdowns and nine interceptions, losing four out of five contests.  His turnovers came at critical times, and curse supporters who thought the Jets-era was becoming an odd blessing got their wish. 

After three straight losses to the Bills, Broncos and 49ers (all missed the playoffs), the Jets could have still qualified for the postseason with a home victory against the Dolphins. 

Yet, in a twist of the greatest possible irony, Chad Pennington was released by New York after Brett's arrival was announced.  The scorned quarterback led the Dolphins to a 24-17 victory, completing 22-of-30 passes with two scores.  Favre threw three interceptions.

Madden mirth, plain and simple.

Curse Case No. 3: Daunte's Inferno

CURSE GAGE: 9.5 (out of 10)

By 2000, Daunte Culpepper had taken the reins of the Vikings' threatening offense.  Like Randall Cunningham and Jeff George before him, Culpepper feasted on defenses with the dual receiving threat of Cris Carter and Randy Moss. 

With weapons surrounding him, the quarterback flourished at an early stage, and he took the Minnesota to the 2001 NFC Championship Game.  It was a blowout loss, 41-0, at the Giants.  Consensus saw Culpepper as the appropriate quarterback for the Vikings; experts pegged the team as a key move away from the Lombardi Trophy.

Thirty-three touchdowns, 16 interceptions, nearly 4,000 yards and the ability to run made Daunte the toast of the town in Minneapolis.  His first year as a starter was nothing short of spectacular.

Most fans will deny it today, but there was even discussion of Culpepper as being one of the three best quarterbacks in football- amongst the likes of Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. 

Like it was for Ty Law of the Patriots, Heinz Field was a house of health horrors.  Culpepper had struggled during the 2001 season, but a knee injury in Pittsburgh sidelines him for the remainder of the year.  Minnesota finished 5-11.

Sometimes, quarterbacks come back and pick up where they left off, but most don't. 

The curse took out the running quarterback's knee.  Mired with lessened mobility, Culpepper's 2002 campaign included 23 interceptions (with only 18 touchdowns) and 21 fumbles.  The Vikings finished 6-10.

In 2003, his statistics improved, but Minnesota only won one more game to finish 7-9.

By 2004, the quarterback refocused himself, and his 39 touchdown season and 110.9 rating ascended his ranking back to the top of the quarterbacking heap.  Again, his stay was short-lived.

Another season-ending knee injury led to his eventual departure to Miami.

He's never reclaimed his former NFL relevance. 

Curse Case No. 2: Battered Ram

CURSE GAGE: 9.7 (out of 10)

The Greatest Show on Turf was never the same after Marshall Faulk represented the Madden brand prior to the 2002 season, largely because Marshall Faulk was never the same either.

The word great is used far too often to describe professional athletes.  In a manner, they are all great for accomplishing their goal of arrival to the NFL.  In the context of the National Football League, only an elite few are great.

We all make the mistake, myself included, of too liberally bestowing adjectives on non-deserving recipients.  Greatness should be rare. 

Roddy White is very good.

Joe Flacco is very good.

LaDanian Tomlinson was GREAT.

Marshall Faulk?  

Legendary.

He was the cog that allowed the St. Louis Rams' offense to become timeless and legendary.  The Greatest Show on Turf only worked because of Marshall's savvy as a football player.

He was a great runner in open space.

He was a great runner in no space.

He was a decisive and smart blocker.

He was a fine receiver with an uncanny ability to acquire yards after the catch.

From 1998-2001, Faulk obtained over 2,000 all-purpose yards in four consecutive seasons. 

In 1999, he had 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving.

In his first three seasons in St. Louis, he averaged over five yards per rush and had 80-plus receptions.

In the truest essence of the word, he was—as sports lingo dubsa STUD.

In January 2001, the Rams had just appeared in their second Super Bowl in three seasons. 

They were a favorite to return in 2002. 

Then, the flash bulbs popped, and EA sports had the photograph they needed.  Millions of Madden copies adorned store shelves, and a young curse on the brink of infamy was about to become famous.

There was no distinct injury.  No unfortunate incidents.  Just a man who lost his step. 

The timing couldn't have been more eerie.

The Rams began 0-5.  They failed to score 20 points in four of their first five games.  In fact, Faulk couldn't even muster 20 yards twice in the first three weeks.  He had fewer than 50 yards rushing in half of the team's contests.  He rushed for 100 yards only three times.

Inexplicably, Kurt Warner had lost his confidence, Faulk's production came to an utter hault, and the Rams suddenly boasted "The Greatest Slow on Earth."

A Super Bowl hangover is a popular term for participants in the game who begin the next season slowly.  This was something new.  St. Louis fell apart completely. 

In the past, Faulk had missed games due to injury, yet he still broke records.  For no obvious reason beyond time, the running back never rushed for 1,000 yards again.

There were no more MVP's.  No more Super Bowls.  No more Marshall as he'd come to be know.  The running back split time with Steven Jackson in his final NFL days.

His final game was played at Texas Stadium in 2005.  He ran 11 times for 25 yards.

Curse Case No. 1: Alexander the (Not So) Great

CURSE GAGE: 10 (out of 10)

Five consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons culminated in 2005—Shaun Alexander's finest year.

The Seattle Seahawks went to Super Bowl XL, largely anchored by their workhorse running back.

Alexander ran for 5.1 yards per carry, over 1,800 yards and an NFL record 27 touchdowns.

His record-breaking season earned him the reputation of being one of the game's best backs, and fantasy football fans drafted Alexander the Great with visions of cyber-league conquest in their heads.

By 2006, the Madden Cover Curse had become well-known, and athletes would defy the notion, claiming the phenomenon to be coincidental.

Alexander broke his foot in September, causing him to miss over a month of football during a season where his average per carry dipped dramatically.

Injuries plagued the running back, who never ran for 1,000 yards again.

In the ultimate insult, the former All-Star went to Washington.  Surely, some visions of rekindling his career entered his mind.

He ran for 24 yards in four games with the Redskins, averaging only slightly more yards per game than he did per carry in the season preceding his cover stardom.

If that doesn't propel you to the top of the cursed fraternity, I don't know what does!