The late, great Madden is a cover boy again
It’s hard to imagine any Madden EA Sports video game cover as adored as this year’s version will be.
The cover boy: John Madden, as he was for the game’s debut in 1988.
Such a tribute drew acclaim from throughout the sports world for the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and award-winning broadcaster, who passed away last December at age 85.
A void will be felt throughout the NFL world this season, and the long-running video game bearing his name honored him by putting vintage photos of him on its cover.
Of course, in years past, some cringed at who would get picked for that display. Sure, they would be the NFL’s hottest name, but often, they’d get hurt that ensuing season.
The Madden Curse, they called it. Madden himself dismissed such a notion. After all, football is an inherently hazardous sport that can endanger anyone. Yes, the 49ers’ Garrison Hearst got hurt in the 1998 season, but Patrick Mahomes led the 2019 Chiefs to a Super Bowl win (against the 49ers) in their “Madden” cover seasons.
In dedicating this year’s cover to him, EA Sports added the appropriate words “Thanks, Coach.” That touch was appreciated by Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who was mentored by Madden.
“His legacy, as far as the game is concerned, was he simplified it for the fans,” Rivera said on the
Commanders’ Twitter handle. “H brought it to life, that it wasn’t just about X’s and O’s. It was ho X’s and O’s worked. And he adde colorful language to it, like ‘Pow’ and ‘Bam.’ It inspired a whole ne style of fans.”
Madden’s connection with the video game began decades ago, when EA Sports founder Trip Hawkins asked him to help desi it. Madden didn’t realize how transcendent it would become n how it has linked future generations to the sport he adored.
“Kids, they used to learn playing out in the street, playing in the park,” Madden once told this news organization. “They don’t play in the street or park anymore. They learn on video game
In a way, that was fine. Madde saw “Madden” as an educational tool.
“That was the start of it,” Mad den recalled. “We had to get all 22 players on the screen, and tha took five years. They didn’t want linemen. Most games then, it wa just like a passing league with quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs.”
Although he’s known for coac ing the Raiders to their first Sup Bowl win, and he became ingrained in American pop culture as a broadcaster and advertising pitchman, Madden was a teache at heart.
pulled a hamstring,” Mad said. “It’s a violent sport. are going to happen.”
EA Sports’ public stan if the players didn’t think was a curse, neither did t in 2010, the company rep began developing a come based around a former st who abruptly comes out ment at the same time h the cover of a popular vi and has to endure a serie setbacks — not unlike ho 2008 season unfolded.
In 2007, as the Madde was really picking up ste former EA Sports market rector Christopher Erb c to Time Magazine, “I hav this to people, but I’ve go of Champagne in my offi we’re ready to pop once s breaks the curse.”
That bottle remained for a few more years unti Lions wide receiver Calvi son started to reverse the 2012, when, as the Madd cover player, he had a ca catching 122 passes for n 2,000 yards.
Brady and Mahomes h helped tamp down curse recent years. Perhaps not ingly, the pair of star qua are the only players to ap twice on the Madden NF including together on las edition.
Mahomes gave many p reason to believe the cur finally over after the 201 when the Kansas City Ch terback not only became active Madden cover pla play in and win the Supe but he was the MVP in b the 49ers.
“What Curse?” EA Spo umphantly tweeted shor the game.
Only time will tell if w the last of the Madden c
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makes his first seasont, he’ll oppose fellow 2021 stin Fields, who lost as a rookie against the 49ers and Jimmy wo touchdown runs). Bears Eberflus makes his debut.
Stadium opened in 2014, the ave won in every visit except a me affair. But they don’t have on at quarterback this trip.
5:20 p.m. on NBC
ntioned Wilson went 17-4 49ers for Seattle the past he’s the new quarterback for with a new coach (Nathaniel d new ownership (Rob Walton ner family). ht Football” offers this atch of last season’s NFC ip Game, where the Rams x-game losing streak to the ent on to win the Super Bowl
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Nick Bosa relished his two sacks in 2019 against Baker Mayfield and now gets a chance for more, thanks to the Cleveland Browns trading Mayfield to the Panthers in July.
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The 49ers look to win for a third straight season after practicing at The Greenbrier Resort between East Coast road games. They won at the New York Giants in 2020 and at the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 after previous layovers in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
Oct. 23 1:25 p.m. on FOX KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
This marks the 49ers’ first meeting with the Chiefs since Patrick Mahomes engineered a fourth-quarter comeback in the 2019 season’s Super Bowl. To help defend against Mahomes, the 49ers poached cornerback Charvarius Ward from the Chiefs in free agency this spring.
Oct. 30 | 1:25 p.m. on FOX LOS ANGELES RAMS
A 27-24 overtime win at SoFi Stadium in last year’s regular-season finale secured the 49ers’ wild-card berth. Their ensuing playoff run ended on that same field three weeks later, when they couldn’t protect a 10-point lead nor stop Matthew Stafford en route to a 20-17 loss in the NFC Championship Game.