The "Madden curse," a well-known superstition surrounding the Madden NFL video game franchise, faces renewed scrutiny with Saquon Barkley as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 26. Historically, players featured on the cover often experience declines in performance or injuries in the following season. A retrospective examination of the last ten cover stars provides intriguing insights into their seasons post-release.

Christian McCaffrey, featured on Madden 25, faced a disastrous season plagued by injuries, playing only four games. Josh Allen's mixed results after being featured on Madden 24 included 44 touchdowns but a staggering 18 interceptions. Both Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, sharing the Madden 22 cover, had impressive yet unfulfilled seasons, failing to return to the Super Bowl. Lamar Jackson's performance post-Madden 21 was solid but not MVP-caliber. Mahomes also excelled after his first cover in Madden 20, culminating in his Super Bowl victory. Antonio Brown’s final year with the Steelers was marked by excellence, while Gronkowski faced injuries after being featured in Madden 17. Beckham Jr.'s spectacular play on Madden 16 is countered by Gronk's injury woes. The pattern raises questions about the veracity of the Madden curse as players navigate the pressures of NFL stardom.