Christian McCaffrey was named the “Madden NFL 25” cowl athlete on Tuesday, and he didn't let destiny tempt him for lengthy.
In an interview with NFL Community's Tom Pelissero, the San Francisco 49ers working again was requested if he was in any respect involved concerning the fabled “loopy curse” when he accepted the provide to be a canopy athlete. He didn't sound too frightened:
“No, I'm not superstitious about it in any respect. I used to be so excited, man. It was such an honor. Once they known as me for the primary time, I used to be shocked. It's one thing I by no means thought would occur to me. I by no means thought somebody would name me and inform me I used to be on the duvet of Madden.
“So once I acquired the decision, I didn't assume a rattling factor, I used to be simply excited. I feel it's a little bit of a fantasy and no matter occurs, occurs. I'm excited to be on the duvet.”
These are daring phrases given McCaffrey's damage historical past.
McCaffrey sits as the highest working again within the NFL this offseason after main the league in dashing with a career-high 1,459 dashing yards, plus 564 receiving yards and a career-high 21 whole touchdowns in 2023. It turned out to be an ideal match. for the Niners, who took him all the best way to Tremendous Bowl LVIII final season.
Nevertheless, McCaffrey has had points staying wholesome prior to now, enjoying in simply 10 whole video games for the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2021. Might showing on the duvet of Madden trigger extra woes?
Let's take a more in-depth take a look at the way it labored for its predecessors.
Is the Madden Curse Lifeless?
It's simple that the historical past of “Madden NFL” has seen a few of its cowl athletes languish for years or worse the next 12 months.
There are definitely some examples that stand out, like Michael Vick (2003) breaking his fibula and Peyton Hillis (2012) battling strep and hamstrings for a crew that permit him stroll on the finish of the 12 months. However as you'll see, the final 10 post-Madden seasons have been up and down, so right here's a more in-depth look.
For benchmarks, we'll use the five-point system named after Hillis, for whom the Cleveland Browns and varied trolls held a web based vote towards Vick after the scandal (presumably to the reduction of Madden's writer).
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“Madden NFL 24,” Josh Allen: Had a comparatively poor 12 months with a profession excessive in interceptions, Payments gained the division, however misplaced to the Chiefs within the divisional spherical. 3/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 23,” John Madden: ON
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“Madden NFL 22,” Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes: Brady was barely much less productive in his closing season at age 45, whereas Mahomes had one other Professional Bowl 12 months, gorgeous the Payments within the “13 Seconds” sport and shedding to the Bengals within the AFC Championship. 2/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 21,” Lamar Jackson: He performed properly, although not in addition to the earlier 12 months's MVP. The Ravens acquired off to a gradual begin and handled the team-wide COVID-19 outbreak, however managed to earn a wild card berth the place they acquired revenge on the Titans, solely to be swept by the Payments. 2/5 Hillises
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“Madden NFL 20,” Patrick Mahomes: Received the Tremendous Bowl. 0/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 19,” Antonio Brown: By his requirements, he posted an honest 12 months earlier than falling out with Ben Roethlisberger, getting suspended for lacking apply in Week 17 and never requesting a commerce, the beginning of one of the vital weird stretches we've ever seen from a participant. 5/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 18,” Tom Brady: Received his third MVP award, led the NFL and made it to the Tremendous Bowl, the place the Patriots misplaced to the Eagles on a “Philly particular.” 1/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 17,” Rob Gronkowski: Knocked out for the season with a herniated disc in Week 12, he didn't play a landing within the Patriots' Tremendous Bowl run. 4/5 Hillises, 5/5 should you don't care about rings.
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“Madden NFL 16,” Odell Beckham Jr.: Had the best season of his profession, with profession highs in receiving yards and touchdowns, although he was additionally suspended a sport for a security violation whereas the Giants went 6-10. 1/5 Hillises.
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“Madden NFL 15,” Richard Sherman: Earned his third first-team All-Professional honor and helped lead the Seahawks to the Tremendous Bowl, the place they misplaced to the Patriots within the Malcolm Butler sport. You could bear in mind how his horrified response went viral. 2/5 Hillises.
So it was type of a blended bag. You possibly can argue that many of the athletes on the final 10 Madden covers have suffered from unhealthy years, however that's the character of soccer. Gamers get injured and carry out poorly, their struggles magnified by each the Madden cowl and the anticipation created by the type of seasons that lead as much as the Madden cowl.
The factor about a whole lot of these seasons, even the unhealthy ones, is that fairly just a few gamers would kill to name a season like Allen's 2023, with 4,306 yards and an 11-6 document, a down 12 months. It's all comparative, with very excessive requirements, and finally it's very simple to label any season that doesn't finish with a Tremendous Bowl as a failure.
So the curse will reside on, aside from unbelievable success, totally ingrained in American sports activities and online game tradition.