The release of Madden 26 is fast approaching, with NFL training camps coming up in July and teams already starting organized team activities. Madden has been the class of NFL simulation for decades now, working its way into pop culture to the point where predictions, skill analysis, and even superstitious curses have all found their way into player discourse. EA Sports has finally revealed who is on the cover of the upcoming game, which is both an honor and a potential curse. This year, the cover is adorned by Saquon Barkley, the Philadelphia Eagles’ star running back.
Madden 26 Cover Features Infamous Barkley Hurdle
Saquon Barkley is a deserving choice to make the cover of Madden 26, given the incredible first season he had with the Philadelphia Eagles after switching teams from the New York Giants last offseason. The Eagles’ star running back set the single-season rushing record for the NFL (with postseason stats included), with 2,504 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, surpassing Terrell Davis’ record of 2,476. Of course, his Eagles also won the Super Bowl, so he certainly had quite the set of successes last year.
Saquon spoke on the honor of being chosen to grace the cover of Madden 26, as the first Eagle to be picked since Donovan McNabb. “Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL ‘99 Club’ are both dreams come true,” Barkley said. “I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support, and I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.”
Madden 26 had Saquon recreate his iconic backwards hurdle from Week 9 of last season as the cover for the base game. The deluxe version zooms in on him wearing game day gear. Madden has a bit of a negative legacy for running backs, though, known as the Madden curse. The season following being put on the cover, the players tend to either get injured or perform poorly. Barkley should not have trouble with either, although if something does happen, the Madden curse truthers will have yet another piece of evidence to bolster their argument.
Final Thoughts
As one of the best players in the NFL last year, who was even in conversation for MVP despite the award being utterly dominated by QBs year in and year out, Saquon Barkley is certainly deserving of being granted the cover art for Madden 26. While other players had an argument, you really cannot make a negative statement about the choice. Hopefully, he continues to show up and show out for Philadelphia this season. Madden 26 is currently available for pre-order and will be launching August 14 for PS5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
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