Speculation about Caleb Williams becoming the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27 has sparked concerns about the infamous Madden curse. To understand the curse's impact, let's review the performances of the last 10 cover athletes.
Saquon Barkley, the Philadelphia Eagles star, saw a dip in production after appearing on the Madden NFL 26 cover. He rushed for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, down from 2,005 yards and 5.8 yards per attempt in 2024.
Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers player, suffered multiple injuries, limiting him to just four games in 2024. He managed only 348 yards and no touchdowns, a significant drop from his 2,023 scrimmage yards in 2023.
Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills quarterback, played all 17 games but led the NFL in turnovers and failed to guide Buffalo to its long-awaited Super Bowl breakthrough in 2023.
Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, both featured on the Madden 22 cover, did not suffer major setbacks. Mahomes played all 17 games but fell short of the Super Bowl, while Brady remained injury-free throughout the campaign.
Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens player, missed only one game in the 2020 season and remained largely productive despite dealing with a minor knee issue.
Patrick Mahomes dealt with an ankle injury and a dislocated kneecap in 2019 but still led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win.
Antonio Brown, the Pittsburgh Steelers player, sustained a knee injury in 2018 and ultimately left the team. Tom Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback, played all 16 games and won the MVP award in 2017.
Rob Gronkowski, the New England Patriots player, appeared in just eight games in 2016 due to multiple injuries. Odell Beckham Jr., the New York Giants player, dealt with recurring hamstring problems and a one-game suspension in 2015.
Only time will tell if Caleb Williams will be affected by the so-called Madden curse.
