Few things in the sports world have stood the test of time as well as the “Madden NFL” video game, a cultural phenomenon that has also made “Who’s on the cover?” a key mainstay of the NFL offseason.
EA Sports has announced that it will reveal the athlete who will grace the cover of “Madden NFL 24” on June 11th.
In addition to the game’s namesake, legendary coach and announcer John Madden, quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (twice), Lamar Jackson, Tom Brady and Josh Allen have graced the cover over the past five seasons. Another star quarterback, such as Joe Burrow, is expected to earn the honor in 2024.
What if more unexpected/interesting choices were chosen? Here are 10 that the SB Nation staff thinks would be a good fit.
Brock Purdy
Hold on, you thought the “Brock Purdy Discourse” was bad now? Imagine what your social media feeds will look like when Madden 2025 is released with the former Mr. Irrelevant (heard you were the last player selected in the draft?) on the cover.
Jason, Travis, and Donna Kelsey
Jason and Travis Kelce are in many ways some of the biggest stars to come out of the NFL in recent years. Their podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce,” has become must-listen and features Travis’s Kansas City Chiefs Jason’s Philadelphia Eagles Two years ago.
And their mother, Donna Kelsey, has become a celebrity in her own right.
Detroit Lions Offensive Line
It’s time.
One of the big stories heading into this season has been the return of the bigs to the NFL, and after years of being dominated by the passing game, the advent of small defensive fronts and two-deep coverages has made running football a bigger part of the game.
last year, Detroit Lions An offensive line led by Frank Ragnow, Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell led Jared Goff and the team to the NFC Championship Game.
Let’s put the big men on the cover.
Aaron Donald
Let’s be honest, I’m tired of seeing QBs and other skill position players on the cover of Madden, so let’s celebrate the best athletes on the field, starting with the greatest modern defender of all time. Donald retired after this offseason, but what better way to honor the Hall of Famer than by putting him on the cover of the game?
The QB doesn’t matter, but the defensive line does, prove it by putting Donald on the cover.
Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase
years ago EA Sports We’re putting two players at the same position, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, on the cover.
They could do something similar with two of the most talented young players in the game at wide receiver. LSU.
Mike Tomlin
As a head coach for 17 years Pittsburgh SteelersTomlin has never had a losing season, and while the game is named after a legendary coach, it’s a bit surprising that no coach other than Madden has appeared on the cover.
Tomlin will fix that in 2024.
(as Browns Dear fans, this was hard to write.
Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence has quietly become one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, with phenomenal stats for a player of his size and position, and the nose tackle deserves some love too, because who doesn’t want to see his sack dance at the start of a game?
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert
This one’s easy: make Madden 25 Miami Vice. Use lots of neon pink and neon blue on the cover, put Waddle, Hill and Mostert in fancy cars and linen suits, and cash in.
Christian McCaffrey
While Brock Purdy may not be a realistic option, his teammates in the San Francisco backfield may be. McCaffrey had an MVP-caliber performance last season and 49ers Participated in Super Bowl 55.
When was the last time a running back appeared on the cover? Madden 14, which was rebranded as Madden 25 and had two different covers with Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson.
Let’s go back to RB Well for this year’s cover.
Myles Garrett
Lawrence is an interesting idea, but if a defender is going to be on the cover, it should probably be the Defensive Player of the Year. The hulking Garrett also fits the role of “Create a Player,” a role that most of us crafted and dominated as kids.
Who do you think will be the cover athlete? Who do you think would be the most fun choice to be on the cover (realistically)?
Share your guesses in the comments section below and see what other fans think
