The Madden Curse - We’ve all heard about it. But does it hold any weight or is it all just sheer coincidence?
The Madden Curse basically goes like this, whoever is on the cover of Madden, that athlete will not have a good year on the football field. Some people really believe that the Madden Curse is real. Although most athletes acknowledge that being on the cover of Madden is an honor, none of them will speak on the legitimacy of the Curse.
Let’s take a look at those who have graced the cover of Madden.
Madden 2000 - BARRY SANDERS
Technically, Barry Sanders is NOT the main image on the cover, John Madden is the main image. Barry Sanders is only featured slightly in the background.
However, this hasn’t stopped the believers of the Madden Curse. They claim that because soon after being on the cover of Madden 2000, Barry Sanders abruptly announced his retirement from the game of football, therefore, he was cursed. In fact, he didn’t even play a single game during the 1999-2000 season.
Did Barry Sanders have another season left in him?
Barry Sanders - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
| Games: |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
N/A |
| Rushing Yards: |
1,500 |
1,553 |
2,053 |
1,491 |
N/A |
| Rushing Avg: |
4.8 |
5.1 |
6.1 |
4.3 |
N/A |
| Receiving Yards: |
398 |
147 |
305 |
289 |
N/A |
| Touchdowns: |
12 |
11 |
14 |
4 |
N/A |
Madden 2001 - EDDIE GEORGE
The season before Eddie George appeared on the cover of Madden, he put up career numbers with the Tennessee Titans.
In the year 2001, the same year Eddie George was on the cover of Madden, he had a recurring toe injury that plagued him throughout the entire season. He set career-lows for rushing that same season. It’s easy to say that this was not his best season.
Eddie George - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
| Games: |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
| Rushing Yards: |
1,399 |
1,294 |
1,304 |
1,509 |
939 |
1,165 |
1,031 |
| Rushing Avg: |
3.9 |
3.7 |
4.1 |
3.7 |
3.0 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
| Receiving Yards: |
44 |
310 |
458 |
453 |
279 |
255 |
163 |
| Total Touchdowns: |
7 |
6 |
13 |
16 |
5 |
14 |
5 |
Madden 2002 - DAUNTE CULPEPPER
A recurring back injury kept Dante Culpepper out for part of the season he was on the Madden Cover.
Dante Culpepper’s overall stats were down, mostly due to the four games he was out because of the back injury. He threw 19 less TD’’s & approximately 1,300 yards less than the season before. Some critics would even say that Culpepper never quite rebounded from that back injury, as he never put up big numbers again. despite the fact that statistically, his best year was in 2004.
Daunte Culpepper - Stats From Cursed Seasons:
| |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
| Games: |
16 |
11 |
16 |
14 |
16 |
7 |
4 |
| Passing Yards: |
3,937 |
2,612 |
3,853 |
3,479 |
4,717 |
1,564 |
929 |
| Interceptions: |
16 |
13 |
23 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
3 |
| Total Touchdowns: |
40 |
19 |
28 |
29 |
41 |
7 |
3 |
| QB Rating: |
98.0 |
83.3 |
75.3 |
96.4 |
110.9 |
72.0 |
77.0 |
Madden 2003 - MARSHALL FAULK
The year that Marshall Faulk was on the cover of Madden, the St. Louis Ram’s were riddled with injuries, including his quarterback Kurt Warner.
While Faulk did not suffer any injuries, his overall stats were down, accounting for his worst NFL season since 1996. It’s easy to see that if his team was at 100% Faulk would’ve had a much better year!
Marshall Faulk - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
| Games: |
16 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
11 |
14 |
16 |
| Rushing Yards: |
1,381 |
1,359 |
1,382 |
953 |
818 |
774 |
292 |
| Rushing Avg: |
5.5 |
5.4 |
5.3 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
| Receiving Yards: |
1,048 |
830 |
765 |
537 |
290 |
310 |
291 |
| Total Touchdowns: |
12 |
26 |
21 |
10 |
11 |
4 |
1 |
Madden 2004 - MICHAEL VICK
The supposed Madden Curse struck Michael Vick the worst. The season prior to being on the Madden cover, Michael Vick put up the best stats of his career.
One week after Madden 2004 debuted with him on the cover, he broke his leg during a preseason game. Vick was never able to reach the platform he once had. As we all know now, his football career went on a downward spiral ever since. He is currently spending his time in prison for “criminal conspiracy resulting from felonious dog fighting”.
Michael Vick - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Games: |
8 |
15 |
5 |
15 |
15 |
16 |
- |
| Passing Yards: |
785 |
2,936 |
585 |
2,313 |
2,412 |
2,474 |
J |
| Interceptions: |
3 |
8 |
3 |
12 |
13 |
13 |
A |
| Total Touchdowns: |
3 |
16 |
4 |
15 |
19 |
15 |
I |
| QB Rating: |
62.7 |
81.6 |
69.0 |
78.1 |
73.1 |
75.7 |
L |
Madden 2005 - RAY LEWIS
The Madden Curse did not seem to affect Ray Lewis too much.
Ray Lewis managed to put up career numbers the season he was on the cover of Madden, although his stats were down from the prior season. Due to an injury, he only missed one game during the season he was supposed to be afflicted by the Madden Curse. This was also the season Ray Lewis was found not guilty of drug charges.
Ray Lewis - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Games: |
16 |
5 |
16 |
15 |
4 |
14 |
14 |
| Total Tackles: |
162 |
58 |
163 |
147 |
46 |
103 |
121 |
| Sacks: |
3.5 |
0.0 |
1.5 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
5.0 |
2.0 |
| Interceptions: |
3 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Def. Touchdowns: |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Madden 2006 - DONOVAN McNABB
A year after taking the Eagles to the Superbowl, Donovan McNabb was awarded the cover of Madden 2006.
However, that same year, he was hurt through-out most of the season because of a hernia. His overall stats were down and he threw for more interceptions. McNabb couldn’t regain his ‘Superbowl’ fame, the Eagles finished in last place, and missed the NFL playoffs.
Donovan McNabb - Stats From Cursed Seasons:
| |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Games: |
16 |
10 |
16 |
15 |
9 |
10 |
14 |
| Passing Yards: |
3,233 |
2,289 |
3,216 |
3,875 |
2,507 |
2,647 |
3,324 |
| Interceptions: |
12 |
6 |
11 |
8 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
| Total Touchdowns: |
27 |
23 |
19 |
34 |
17 |
21 |
19 |
| QB Rating: |
84.3 |
86.0 |
79.6 |
104.7 |
85 |
95.5 |
89.9 |
Madden 2007 - SHAUN ALEXANDER
One year after having a GREAT rushing year, breaking the TD record and receiving the MVP award, Shaun Alexander was awarded the cover of Madden 2007.
However, that same season he broke his foot and missed almost half of the season, six games to be exact. Shaun Alexander only put up 896 yards & 3.6 yards per carry, a significatnly lower rushing stats, making it his worst season since his rookie year. and has never been the same runningback since being on the cover of Madden.
Shaun Alexander - Stats From Cursed Seasons:
| |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Games: |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
10 |
13 |
| Rushing Yards: |
1,318 |
1,175 |
1,435 |
1,696 |
1,880 |
896 |
716 |
| Avg Per Carry: |
4.3 |
4.0 |
4.4 |
4.8 |
5.1 |
3.6 |
3.5 |
| Total Touchdowns: |
16 |
18 |
16 |
20 |
28 |
7 |
5 |
Madden 2008 - VINCE YOUNG
In his second season in the NFL, Vince Young was featured on the cover of Madden in 2008.
While Vince Young didn’t have a BAD season, he certainly didn’t have a great one. The amount of touchdowns an completed passes dropped, while the amount of interceptions went up. His rushing stats also dropped the same year he was on the cover of Madden.
It must be noted that the Tennessee Titans still managed to make the playoffs while they were supposedly ‘cursed’.
Vince Young - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
| Games: |
College |
at UT |
15 |
15 |
TBD |
| Passing Yards: |
- |
- |
2,546 |
2,199 |
TBD |
| Interceptions: |
- |
- |
17 |
13 |
TBD |
| Total Touchdowns: |
- |
- |
19 |
12 |
TBD |
| QB Rating: |
- |
- |
66.7 |
71.1 |
TBD |
Madden 2009 - Brett Favre
This year, EA Sports decided to go with a RETIRED player on the cover, but Brett Favre ruined that when he announced that he was planning on coming back for one more season.
After some brief drama with the Packers, Favre was reinstated to the NFL. However, the 2009 NFL season isn’t starting off too well for Brett Favre. Since the Packers not want him back, he is starting off the season with a new team, the New York Jets.
Does this signify the beginning of another chapter in the Madden Curse? I guess only time (and Brett Favre) will tell…
Brett Favre - Stats During ‘Cursed’ Seasons:
| |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
| Games: |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
TBD |
| Passing Yards: |
3,658 |
3,361 |
4,088 |
3,881 |
3,885 |
4,155 |
TBD |
| Interceptions: |
16 |
21 |
17 |
29 |
18 |
15 |
TBD |
| Total Touchdowns: |
27 |
32 |
30 |
20 |
19 |
28 |
TBD |
| QB Rating: |
85.6 |
90.4 |
92.4 |
70.9 |
72.7 |
95.7 |
TBD |
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Posted by HarleyJane |
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