Madden Curse

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Garrison Hearst (1999)

Garrison Hearst was the first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, appearing on Madden NFL 99. Hearst's 1998 season was the best of his career, rushing for 1,570 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs and a wild card win over the Green Bay Packers, but on the first play of the divisional game versus the Atlanta Falcons, he suffered a bad ankle break and his team would go on to lose the game.
(it is worth noting that there are two versions of the Madden NFL '99 cover, one with Hearst and the more-common one with John Madden.)

Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens (2000)

Barry Sanders shared the cover with the then-customary picture of John Madden on Madden NFL 2000. However, a week before training camp began in 1999, Sanders abruptly retired - ending his career and leaving the Detroit Lions without their star running back of the previous 10 years. Sanders' part in the curse is debated because he is not pictured alone on the box, and he had willingly retired. Dorsey Levens was featured on the 2000 cover that was released in PAL regions. After rushing for 1,034 yards in 1999, he gained only 224 yards from scrimmage in 2000. Ultimately, Levens was cut by the Green Bay Packers after the 2001 season. Levens managed to hang on for three more seasons of journeyman work with the Philadelphia EaglesNew York Giants. Levens retired as a Packer after the 2004 season. and

Eddie George (2001)

Eddie George, then of the Tennessee Titans, who graced the Madden NFL 2001 box, is often said to be the next 'cursed' player, even though in the year he was on the cover, he had career highs in yardage and touchdowns. Curse advocates point to the 2001 season following his appearance on the cover, during which he averaged only 3 yards per carry and rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns due to a nagging toe injury that bothered him the entire season. For the rest of his career, he never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry.
George's curse can be argued to have started the year he was on the cover because in 2001 AFC Championship game George had a costly fumble that lost the game for Tennessee. He also fumbled 7 times during the 2000 regular season, losing a career high 4 fumbles.

Daunte Culpepper (2002)

Former Minnesota Vikings star quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the Madden NFL 2002 cover after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 470 yards and 7 more scores in the 2000 season. However, Culpepper struggled with turnovers in the first 11 games of the 2001 season, throwing 13 interceptions and only 14 touchdown passes. A back injury ended his season in the 11th game.

Marshall Faulk (2003)

Running back Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who was on the Madden NFL 2003 box, suffered an ankle injury, missing five games. He did amass nearly 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns in limited time in 2002; however, it was a steep decline from his 2,000 yard and 21 touchdown campaign of 2001. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career. He retired following the 2006-2007 season, but he will be featured in Madden NFL 2008 as the host of a pregame segment, Marshall's Minute.

Michael Vick (2004)

Five days after Madden NFL 2004 was released featuring Atlanta Falcons Michael Vick on the cover, Vick was injured during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, suffering a fractured right fibula. Vick played in only the last 5 regular season games, finishing with just 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs and were already out of contention by the time Vick returned from his injury. The Falcons finished the season with a record of 5-11, a drop from their 9-6-1 record the season prior. Further, on July 17, 2007, Vick was indicted on dogfighting charges which jeopardize his career, and personal liberties. quarterback

Ray Lewis (2005)

Madden NFL 2005 featured Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover of a Madden game. He broke his wrist, an injury that kept him out of the last game of the regular season. It was also Lewis' first season without a single interception, after posting a career-high 6 the previous year - although admittedly, interceptions are a secondary statistic for linebackers. He recorded a career low of 77 tackles after having two consecutive 200+ seasons and being the league leader in tackles. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season (2004), after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the 2005 season, Ray Lewis' season was ended by an injury.

Donovan McNabb (2006)

After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles' star quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden NFL 06. Throughout the 2005 season, McNabb had had a highly-publicized feud with his teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens. During the 2005 season, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Even though it needed surgery McNabb continued to play through the injury.^[1] In the tenth game of the season, McNabb re-injured his groin when he threw an interception that was returned by Roy WilliamsDallas Cowboys, and subsequently decided to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia. It should also be noted that in the following season of 2006 -- Game 10 again (week 11) -- McNabb tore his ACL quite suddenly in a loss against the Titans (31-13), ending his season. He had gone into that game tied with Peyton Manning for the league lead with 18 touchdowns and was second in passing yards with 2,569. of the

Shaun Alexander (2007)

Alexander had one of the best statistical seasons ever in the 2005-2006 season, as he rushed for 1,880 yards and scored what was a record 28 total touchdowns(27 rushing). Alexander, who had missed one start in his previous 64 contests, sustained a broken foot after he was on the Madden 07 cover. He missed six starts and failed to rush for 1,000 yards for the first time since 2000.


Vince Young(2008)
???

Slimdust

Nah, It wouldnt bother me. I would be on the cover. I aint never scared!

Blitzkrieg

I've seen Vince Young pull out plenty of miracles.. this will just add to his already God-like list..

Griff0rd

TNA Moderator

yeah... I used to say no way is this legit back in the day... but now I fear for Mighty Joe Young... he will be missed this season.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Well the only player to "break the curse" was in 2001, and he was a Tennessee Titan. So perhaps the Titans are immune to the curse?

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

But it IS broken.

Great read BTW.

Twist of Lemon

I Dont really think its broken, Eddies season was still fucked up by that one play, its not just injurys (look at Faulk for other proof of that). Now if Mr.Young wants to have a Pro Bowl year and not cost his team a playoff game, ill be more then willing to say its broken.