While grabbing the cover of EA’s Madden video game has always been considered an honor for players, it’s also been considered the kiss of death at times because of some coincidental…or noncoincidental mishaps involving players who have graced the cover in the past.
I’m going to say it right now that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is immune to any superstitious backlash that might come from blessing the cover of Madden 21.
"It's a dream come true." @Lj_era8 on Madden cover: pic.twitter.com/FtNibi7xt4
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 21, 2020
Madden Curse
As legend would have it, more than 25 years into the iconic video franchise’s history, there’s almost no escaping the “Madden Curse.” Since Garrison Hearst broke his ankle in 1998, shortly after starring on the cover of Madden NFL 99, most of the players who starred on the game’s cover have suffered an injury the following season.
According to digitaltrends.com, “Of the 22 players who have been selected to grace the cover of Madden games through this season, 16 have had troubling or abruptly shortened seasons following their cover debut — including several who suffered season-ending injuries shortly after their game hit shelves.
Madden NFL 19 had Antonio Brown on the cover. Last we seen of AB, he was handing out chocolate penises for Valentine’s Day on the Breakfast Club.
Antonio Brown coming out of court and running the wrong route for the first time in his illustrious career. ?? For AB.
Posted by The Shadow League on Friday, January 24, 2020
Nuff said.
Last season Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes Jr.’s magical season was temporarily derailed by the first serious injury of his career. Following a historical 2018 season in which he threw for 5,097 yards and won NFL MVP and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Mahomes missed a little less than a month in 2019 with a knee injury that limited his stats. Mahomes was able to return and become the third Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He had one of the more favorable outcomes. Kind of like catching COVID-19, but not dying.
One might say, if it can happen to Mahomes it can happen to Lamar.
If they mean winning a Super Bowl in his second season as a starter, then, of course, it can.
LJ is on the verge of doing something big. He earned that Madden cover and as far as jinx’s go, his mama told him not to believe in superstition just the Lord and so far that faith has protected LJ to the fullest.
Just taking into account what Jackson had to overcome to get drafted and how many haters he’s annihilated, I’ll bet the Bugatti that LJ — fresh new chest ink and all — doesn’t end next year with a Madden curse. He’s hunting Super Bowl rings.
