With a new NFL season brings a new Madden Curse. For the first time in the History of Madden there are two players on the cover. So essentially, twice the curse.

madden

Lets take a look at who has been on the Cover of Madden and see if the Madden Curse is real.

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Conclusion

My guess is the Madden Curse is real, bad things must have been happening to Madden when he was on the cover. That is why he isn't on it anymore. And at his age, if he has one more Madden cover, it could be the end of John Madden.

The majority of players have been injured, missed time, or have seen a decrease in stats when they were on the cover of Madden. Eddie George is really the only case I see where nothing happened to him. Statistically speaking 11/13 players have had somewhat of a curse, and it could be 12/13 after this season. If you are a player thinking about being on the cover, I don't really like the odds.

Beware of the Madden Curse, it is real? (dun dun dunnnnn?.)

Let us know if you think it is real or not.

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Madden (Season) Player
(Team) 		The Madden Curse
2010 (2009) Troy
Polamalu</p>

(Steelers)</td>

Polamalu sprained his MCL in the first game vs Tennessee. He has missed two games so far, and the Steelers Defense hasn't been the same without him.
Larry Fitzgerald has yet to record a 100 yard game. The Cardinals don't look the same as they did last year. Does Warner looking old count for the Fitzgerald curse?</p>

Both teams are 1-2 when I wrote this, I'll update it eventually, when Larry Fitzgerald is injured, due to the Madden Curse?</td> </tr>

Larry
Fitzgerald</p>

(Cardinals)</td> </tr>

2009 (2008) Brett
Favre</p>

(Jets)</td>

Favre retired and un-retired, then retired again, then got traded to the Jets, maybe that had something to do with the Madden curse. Favre also injured his throwing arm (Torn Bicep Tendon) late in the season, which essential caused the Jets to have a late season collapse and essentially miss the playoffs.
2008 (2007) Vince
Young</p>

(Titans)</td>

Vince Young did miss 1 game, and had horrible stats ( 9 TDS and 17 INTS) which probably lead to his benching in 2008 season. Maybe he was cursed for two years, and maybe this year too.
2007 (2006) Shaun
Alexander</p>

(Seahawks)</td>

Shaun Alexander missed 6 regular season games with a broken foot. He didn't performed the same after his injury
2006 (2005) Donovan
McNabb</p>

(Eagles)</td>

After week 9, McNabb suffered a hernia and was lost for the season. Perhaps Mcnabb should have ate some more Chunky Soup to stay Hernia Free.
2005 (2004) Ray
Lewis</p>

(Ravens)</td>

Ray Lewis may have beat the curse, well, because he is Ray Lewis. He did miss one game, and his numbers were somewhat down from the year before. Cursed!
2004 (2003) Michael
Vick</p>

(Falcons)</td>

Vick missed the first 11 games with a broken leg. Can dog fighting be part of the curse? Because I think it should be, he was probably doing it at the time. With the dog fighting added in this curse may have lasted the longest.
2003 (2002) Marshall
Faulk</p>

(Rams)</td>

Faulk did miss two games, at the time this was Faulk's worst season since 1996. Technically it was still 2002 when the Patriots cheated and beat the Rams in the Superbowl. Soooo Pre - Madden Cover Curse?
2002 (2001) Daunte Culpepper
(Vikings) 		Culpepper missed 4 games with injury, threw for 1300 less yards and 19 less TD's then in 2000. Was the boat party in 2001 too?
2001 (2000) Eddie
George</p>

(Titans)</td>

I couldn't really find a curse for Eddie George, he had lower stats in 2001, but I can't really count that. 2000 was actually one of his better seasons. George went to Ohio State, therefore by proxy the Ohio State Buckeyes were cursed and had a bad season in 2000. Found it. Mark one down for the Curse.
2000 (1999) Barry
Sanders</p>

(Lions)</td>

Sanders was pictured over Madden's left shoulder on the cover. Sanders suddenly retired in July before the start of the 1999 season. This also cursed the Detroit Lions, for being the Lions.
1999 (1998) Garrison
Hearst</p>

(49ers)</td>

Garrison Hearst was on select covers of Madden 1999. Hearst suffered a broken ankle in the divisional playoff game against the Falcons. This Injury caused Hearst to miss two full NFL seasons.