Peyton Hillis Injury: Cleveland Browns RB Is Undeniable Victim of Madden Curse

How long has it made fans dread their favorite football player getting recognition?

Its name draws both derision and fear from fans of the Madden series and football fans alike. "The Madden Curse."

I remember thinking that Steelers fans were just using it as an excuse when Polamalu went down and the Steelers were unable to get back to the playoffs back in 2009. Then in 2010, I watched as Drew Brees suffered a knee injury and made horrible decisions that would've made even Ryan Leaf think Brees was making mistakes.

It was at that point that I became a believer.

This year hasn't just been a bad year for Peyton Hillis, it's been a bad year for Peyton/Payton's alike!

However, Hillis has struggled to get back to a 2010 form, and it has affected the Cleveland Browns' ability to win games this year.

Peyton Hillis' hamstring issue has to make you a believer in the Madden Curse. His disappointing season on top of it is the icing on the cake. Thanks to his injury, he will not be playing today versus Seattle and may shake up the result of that, for better or worse.

Hillis currently has 211 yards with a 3.5 YPC average with two rushing touchdowns. It's a bit disappointing after his great 2010 season, but it's only Week 7.

He has the chance to redeem himself with the rest of the season, and hopefully, he'll do better once he rids himself of the Madden Curse next year.