It all started in 1999 with the cover of Madden 2000. Barry Sanders was the first player to be featured on the cover of the game. Only a few weeks after the game began being sold, Sanders abruptly retired. The game's cover has been tainted since.
Former Green Bay Packers RB Dorsey Levens was also featured on some of the covers of the Madden 2000 game, but he was cut the next year and never played a relevant role on any team for the rest of his career.
Eddie George was on the cover of Madden 2001 and although he did have an okay year, he only rushed for 939 yards and he only averaged 3.5 yards per carry after this. He also suffered injuries in that season.
Daunte Culpepper was on the following year's cover. The Vikings stumbled to a 4-7 start and Culpepper was injured and did not play another game that year.
Marshall Faulk had a string of years with the Rams that most of us will never forget. He also made the Madden curse something of folklore. Following a few great years, Faulk was featured on the cover of Madden 2003 and had a terrible year, including a few knee injuries. He also never again rushed for more than 1,000 yards.
Just one day after being featured on the cover of Madden 2004, Michael Vick suffered a devastating injury in which he fractured his fibula. The Falcons subsequently missed the playoffs and Vick only played a handful of games at the end of the season.
Ray Lewis' tough persona likely held off the curse. Lewis only missed the final game of the season following his cover of the Madden 2005 game. The Ravens did not make the playoffs that year. The next season, Lewis suffered a season-ending injury and the Ravens didn't make the playoffs again.
Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden '06. In Week 1, he suffered a sports hernia. This injury required surgery that would have ended McNabb's season, but he chose to play through the pain. In late November, McNabb hurt his groin after attempting to tackle SS Roy Williams of the Cowboys after an interception. McNabb opted to have surgery on his hernia and the Eagles ended 6-10 and missed the playoffs after making it to the Super Bowl the year before.
This all leads us to Shaun Alexander. Alexander just broke his foot this year after being on cover of Madden '07. He is reported to be out for 2-4 weeks, but Alexander hasn't exactly been putting up his typical numbers. He hadn't yet run for 100 yards in a game and only had 187 yards after three games.
Is the cover cursed? I've presented all the evidence to you, why don't you make your own decision?
September 27, 2006
Ricky:
actually Eddie George followed up his Madden Cover appearance with a career year. Remember since he was on the ‘01 cover, that means the season in question was 2000.
In 2000 George rushed 403 times for 1509 yards and 14 touchdowns, all career highs. He also caught a career high 50 passes for 453 yards and 2 more touchdowns. George had his best season ever in leading the Titans to a division title.
September 27, 2006
Ricky:
Levens also followed up his ‘00 cover appearance with a career year in 1999.
He gained over 1600 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns.
So Levens, George, and Lewis are the only ones who have fought off the curse. Nobody else has, although Shaun Alexander isn’t quite done yet. Recent reports have him possibly coming back as early as THIS Sunday.
I think in determining whether or not it is a curse is to ask yourself, would you be on the cover of Madden ‘08 if you were asked to be? As for me, I’d have to consider such an offer long and hard.
September 28, 2006
serotonin:
The way Madden bumbles and mumbles through his commentating it almost sounds like he’s speaking in tongues… maybe the curse goes beyond the cover?
I think the answer is clear - Madden is a witch doctor and Al Michaels is his living dead right-hand man (just look: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/Al_Michaels_1987_World_Series.JPG ).
September 28, 2006
Doug:
An interesting writeup on this from the urban legend authorities…
http://www.snopes.com/sports/football/maddencurse.asp#update
September 28, 2006
Ricky:
well Madden himself WAS the cover until 1998 or 1999
of course whether or not he has been cursed is up for debate
we’ll probably find out if he is immune to the curse when every NFL player refuses to be on the 2008 cover and Madden accepts the offer to come back as the cover boy