Jackson to grace cover of Madden
The EA Sports Madden cover release usually carries some suspense, but Lamar Jackson let it slip a couple months ago that he had been approached about appearing on this year’s popular video game cover.
It’s now official: The Baltimore Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player will indeed be featured on “Madden NFL 21” when it is released Aug. 28, two weeks before the regular season is scheduled to begin.
“It is something I have wanted since I was a kid,” Jackson said.
In other news:
• The NFL announced the 2021 Pro Bowl will be played at the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Jan. 31 — one week before the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Plans include what the league calls a weeklong celebration of football and will include NFL FLAG Championship games and a Pro Bowl skills showdown in which players compete in a variety of events.
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said it’s “highly unlikely” that crowds of 20,000 or so would be allowed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and induction ceremony in August.
“If the question was could that event occur today, the answer would be no,” DeWine said. “It would be extremely dangerous.”
Officials are still evaluating their options and said no decisions have been made about the Aug. 6 game in Canton between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers or for the enshrinements two nights later.
• New York Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested on a hit-and-run charge after California authorities found him walking along a road about 1½ miles away from a crash scene while his “hands, legs, and bare feet were covered in blood.”
Rosas, 25, is suspected of having been impaired by alcohol, according to a California Highway Patrol report. He was booked into Butte County Jail on charges of misdemeanor hit and run and driving on a suspended license and was subsequently released with no bail.
The incident occurred Monday at about 8:25 a.m. PDT in Chico, Calif. According to the CHP report, witnesses saw a black Chevrolet SUV passing traffic by swerving into the oncoming lane while traveling at an estimated 100 mph.