Madden Curse Strikes Again!

Posted on | November 18, 2005 | No Comments

Victim #7 – Donovan McNabb

Electronic Arts has been trying to dismiss the curse of the Madden cover for a few years now and I’m sure they had their hopes up for this year, as Donovan McNabb fought through several injuries, leading his team to many victories. The curse not satisfied with the injuries it inflicted and McNabb’s defiance to fall to the curse has struck hard, humiliating and dishing a season ending injury to McNabb.

Donovan McNabb went back for a pass, threw his ball into the arms of Roy Williams a Defensive Back. Williams with as fast track to the end zone brushes off McNabb’s attempted tackle, and scores the game winning touchdown. If that wasn’t enough, McNabb pulls his groin in the futile tackle, ending his season and passing the curse along to 2007’s cover player.

The Curse’s History
Madden NFL Football is a extremely popular video game for various video game systems. Prior to 2000 the Madden Game cover featured John Madden. Electronic Arts elected to change the cover featuring top NFL athletes, and the curse was born. Since the 2000 cover, every cover player has been injured or had substandard performances that year. Some extend into additional years, and some end in retirement.

The Cursed

Madden 2000 – Barry Sanders
Abruptly retired before the season.

Madden 2001 – Eddie George
Couldn’t secure a catch in the playoffs, picked off by Ray Lewis and returned for a TD. Has yet to average over 3.5 yds per carry since his cover.

Madden 2002 – Daunte Culpepper
Low performance year with weekly bickering with Moss. The two years that followed Culpepper threw for 18 touch downs and 23 interceptions.

Madden 2003 – Marshall Falk
Poor season and injured. Since his cover he has yet to have another 1000 yard season.

Madden 2004 – Michael Vick
Broke his fibula in a preseason game against the Ravens, the day after the game was released.

Madden 2005 – Ray Lewis
Missed the final game of the season due to an injury. The season was also his first without an interception. [The curse can assist a player (ie 2001’s interception) and then take away from the player as well ]

More Curse Trivia

Rey Lewis’s subsequent seasons were successful after appearing on the cover. However the season following his cover, Terrell Owens impersonated Lewis in a touchdown celebration. The curse confused with the impersonation hits Ownes instead, on 12/19 causing Owens to miss the remainder of the season and 2 postseason games. Note: Ownes was on the cover Segas’ ESPN NFL2k5, which was discontinued when Madden received exclusive rights from the NFL.