Well the very first Madden cover released in 1988 had no players on the cover just the legendary head coach John Madden himself. However on the 1994 cover it had the Buffalo Bills football field in the background and coincidentally enough the Bills went 7-9 and missed the playoffs, a year after they had appeared in the Super Bowl against the Cowboys. On the 1995 cover (above) which was released in 1994, Cowboys tackle Erik Williams was on the cover. Coincidentally enough he had gotten into a serious car accident that same year causing him to miss most of that season. There was the Madden cover in 1999 that had Madden on most covers, though a couple also had then Niner running back Garrison Hearst.
But yes coincidentally enough that same year he broke his ankle and was out for 2 seasons, no joke. And then... You have the Madden 2000 cover (below)...ahh yes...
That cover had Barry Sanders in the background...how coincidentally that same year...Sanders retires after the season...and retires yards short of then Walter Payton's rushing record..
On the 2001 Madden cover (above), Titans running back Eddie George was featured, still rushed for over 1500 yards that year, but bobbled a critical pass in the playoffs against the Ravens that cost them from advancing.
On the 2002 cover (above), Vikings then quarterback Daunte Culpepper was featured, coincidentally that same season he threw 23 picks and the Vikings finished 5-11, he was never the same.
On the 2003 cover (above), Rams then running back Marshall Faulk was featured, since then his career declined and he never had another 1000 yard season again, true story.
Michael Vick was on the 2004 cover (above), broke his fibula in a preseason game against Baltimore, his team then the Falcons went 5-11 that season.
Ray Lewis made the 2005 cover (above), was determined to beat the Madden Curse, but then had his season cut short that year by Week 15 with a wrist injury, it was also his first year without an interception.
The 2006 cover (above) had then Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who already had problems with injuries enough and sure enough that same season he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee, ending his season abruptly.
Seattle Seahawks then running back Shaun Alexander made the 2007 Madden Cover (above), same season suffered an injury that made him his first six starts and then was never the same player again, retired shortly afterwards in the 2008 season.
On the 2008 cover (above) was Titans then quarterback Vince Young, was actually not really affected by the “Madden Curse" nor his team. Led them to a 10-6 record in his 2nd season and a playoff appearance, though he suffered a major injury the following year making him lose his job for a year. Till he recovered it in the 2009 season, though it also led to him and coach Jeff Fisher's departure in 2010. But that wasn't due to the Madden Curse, that was due to immaturity issues and as far as we know now...he has never changed...and probably never will.
Madden's favorite, Brett Favre made the 2009 cover (above), suffered an ankle injury with the Jets that same year and sure enough they failed to make the playoffs. Although perhaps the repercussions may have been far more substantial if Favre was featured with a Jets jersey, not a Packers jersey like he was.
Two players made the 2010 cover (above), Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu, the Madden Curse didn't at all affect Fitzgerald, nor the Cardinals who went 10-6 that year and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion, the New Orleans Saints. Polamalu on the other hand has had an injury history since, hasn't been able to stay healthy on the field since.
Drew Brees was on the 2011 cover (above), played first 6 weeks of the season with a torn MCL, threw 22 interceptions that same season and his Saints lost in the Wild Card round to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks.
Cleveland Browns then tailback Peyton Hillis made the 2012 cover (above), missed 5 games of the season due to a hamstring injury, one to step throat, this coming off his 1100+ rushing season with 11 TDs in the 2010 season.
And finally Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson also known as Megatron made the Madden 13 cover (above) as we all know. Obviously the "curse" didn't affect him as he eclipsed Jerry Rice's single-season receiving record of 1848 yards, not only that but was just 36 yards short from being the first wide receiver ever to have a 2000 yard season. However the Detroit Lions went 4-12 that season coming off a 10-6 season the previous year, not to mention it was 8 straight losses for the Lions to finish the year.
So with all this being said with the exception of the 2008 cover, the Madden Curse has it's ways it can either affect a certain player for the rest of their career or their team that same season. Who could be the curse's next victim? All signs point to one of the rookie studs that all the made the playoffs last season, Russell Wilson, RG3 or Andrew Luck. But one thing is for sure, no matter who it is after this disappointing season I had to see my Lions go through, I pray none of their players make it. No matter what way you look at it, the Madden Curse is real, you just need to learn to accept it.
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