The Madden Curse Strikes Again!

The Madden Curse is one of the most controversial superstitions in sports.  Every year, it seems as if whoever the cover athlete on the latest Madden game is stricken with a curse and either has an injury that season or just has a poor year.
 It all began back in the year 1999, the first year someone other than John Madden was on the cover of a Madden Football game.  The 1st cover athlete was Garrison Hearst, the running back of the 49ers.  The year he was put on the cover, he broke his ankle.  This was just a coincidence, since it was only the 1st year and there was no previous history of a curse or anything.     The cover athlete on the Madden 2000 game was Barry Sanders. Sanders himself did not particularly have an injury, however, he had retired before the season, and his replacement was Dorsey Levans.  Sure enough, Levans was injured too.  The curse lived on after 2 consecutive years of injuries.  The cover athlete of the Madden 2001 game was Eddie George.  He did not have any injuries or anything, however, when the Titans needed him the most, he fumbled the ball and blew the Titans chances for a super bowl. Coincidence? 2002, Daunte Culpepper, Quarterback of the Vikings, had a 4-7 record, and had a season ending knee injury on top of it all.  The 2003 Madden Cover athlete was Marshall Faulk, running back of the Rams, also known as The Greatest Show On Turf.  He also had a knee injury that was interfering with his season.  After 5 years of miss fourtine, you would think that something is going on here.  Well, lets continue and try to find someone who broke the curse. The 2004 cover athlete of Madden was Michael Vick, QB of the Atlanta Falcons.  About a day after the Madden Game was released, Vick broke his fibula and was out for 11 games because of it. Madden 2005's cover athlete was star defensive player Ray Lewis.  Lewis had broken his wrist that season, only adding to the list.  Madden 06 had Donovan McNabb, QB of the Eagles, as the cover athlete.  McNabb, one of the top quarterbacks at the time, had a sports hernia, and missed 7 games that season.  The cover athlete of the Madden 2007 video game was Shaun Alexander, Running Back of the Seattle Seahawks.  Alexander was struck with the curse by having a foot fracture and missed 6 games. Vince Young was the 2008 cover man, and sure enough, another name was added to the list of people affected by the curse.  QB Young had injured his quad, and it affected his scrambling, in which he was really great at.  In 2009 Brett Favre was put on the cover of Madden.  Favre had an injured bicep at the end of the season, and it made him lose 4 out of the last 5 games.  The next year was interesting.  EA Sports tried something different, by putting 2 people on the cover of the Madden game.  This however, failed.  Larry Fitzgerald injured his rib in the playoffs with the Cardinals, and Troy Polamalu had  multiple knee injuries through out the season.  Madden 2011's cover athlete was super bowl winning Quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.  Brees did not have an injury, but his team had the biggest upset loss in playoff history.  The Saints had lost to the Seattle Seahawks, who had barely made it into the playoffs; and were clearly the underdogs here.  The Seahawks took control and won the game, stunning Brees and the Saints.  The 2012 cover athlete of Madden is Peyton Hillis.  Hillis has been injured for the most part of the season, and even the runner up to the Madden cover athlete voting, Michael Vick, is also dealing with injuries as well.  The Madden curse still lives on!

As you can see, the Madden curse is no joke.  here is the list of players and their injuries:
1999. Garrison Hearst - Broke Ankle
2000. Barry Sanders - Retired, Backup had an injury
2001. Eddie George - No Injuries, Fumbled the ball and ruining the Titans Chances at victory in the Playoffs
2002. Daunte Culpepper - Knee Injury
2003. Marshall Faulk - Knee Injury
2004. Michael Vick - Broken Fibula
2005. Ray Lewis - Broken Wrist
2006. Donovan McNabb - Sports Hernia
2007. Shaun Alexander - Fractured Foot
2008. Vince Young - Quad Injury
2009. Brett Favre - Bicep Injury
2010. Troy Polamalu/Larry Fitzgerald - Knee Injuries/Rib Injury
2011. Drew Brees - Had biggest upset lost in recent memory
2012. Peyton Hillis - Hamstring

As you can see, the Madden curse has effected just about every single cover athlete to ever be on any Madden game.  If you were ever asked to be put on a Madden cover, I would think twice before Accepting that offer, because you could have an injury that could cost your season. And if you don't believe in the Madden curse, just look at the list.  I'm sure you will believe it now!