The History Behind The Conspiracy known as the Madden Curse
Have we ever reached the end of a long deemed cure yet? I mean the Cubs finally did it, but he one thing that has not been broken yet is the game curse the one they call Madden. Since 99 every player who has been on the cover something bad happens to them, or perhaps there team does, or come up short. These players asked for it, and the punishment they received was costly.Madden 99': The first game to feature a player on the cover, and unfortunately it had to be Garrison Hearst of the 49ers. While he did play tremendous that season it was hard to watch the way he broke his ankle against the Falcons that year the niners went to the playoffs you could say Atlanta definitely has a lot of luck that year when they were the underdogs that whole time... anyways Heart ended up being sidelined for 2 season before coming back with the team in 2001 which he was not as great as he once was.
Madden 2000: This was the first time you got two cover athletes if different version both of which suffered something brutal. Barry Sanders has retired in 99, and the Lions have not had that great running back since Barry's departure. Although Dorsey Levens suffered the worst of the two, Levens has deal with an injury problems that would keep him from being as healthy as he probably wished to be, and that year the Packers were in a rare instance bad.
Madden 01': The running backs keeps on rolling this time an all time Titans great Eddie George got it. George was a guy that would usually stay healthy throughout his career, but this case the curse strikes hard for him as he had tipped the ball attempting to catch as it was intercepted by the Ravens who had a awesome defense that year. George would not get 1,200 yards ever again.
Madden 02': The critics started calling this madden curse right when Danute Culpepper was next in line. The first quarterback to be on the madden cover in fact. Culpepper best games were behind him at this point in his career, and what would become of his end would be by a knee injury, and the following years being inconsistent, and being a backup quarterback of the likes of Miami, Oakland, and Detroit.
Madden 03': Who does not love ''The Greatest Show On Turf'' of the early 2000's? Now i'll admit I played this one a lot, and I cannot help, but think the time the original superman (Marshall Faulk) is considered one of the greatest running backs in the game. Well this was certainly the launching point of his career coming to an end when suffered a shocking below 1,000 yards that year despite making the playoffs that year, and eventually his decline would begin as Steven Jackson would be the eventual starter for years for the Rams.
Madden 04': Michael Vick was one of the most prolific mobile quarterbacks of his time had led the Falcons to a stunning playoff win in 2002. The following year he had a Right Fibula injury that kept him out for a good chuck of the season, and eventually resulted in beating up dogs. Sure he had one last good season in Philly, but it was all over after that. On a side note... I cannot help how many of the teams today have a mobile quarterback much more than it was back than which was mostly guys who could almost not really get out of the pocket fast enough.
Madden 05': Our first defensive player on the cover being Ray Lewis a future hall of famer might I add. Lewis had always racked up tackles, fumbles, and interceptions, but in the follow up season that changed dramatically as he had no Interceptions, and he ended up out for the season by week 6 the Ravens came short of the playoffs.
Madden 06': I always fought that McNabb was somewhat of an underrated quarterback for the early portion of his career he was great, but you got argue towards the end of his run was most certainly forgettable. The injuries can wear any player down, and it ended up being the case as they moved on from McNabb in favor of the returning Michael Vick soon after. He went to the Redskins, and again forgettable, and not worth anything to his career.
Madden 07': Oh yes the great Alexander... Shaun Alexander hey remember any fans past the whole 2012 crap you hear well back then Seattle's most widely known players were likes of Shaun, and also Steve Largent. Alexander had a broken foot in week 3, and he was bounced from the team in 2009, and could not recover. The most ironic moment of this was that Shaun basically admitted the curse got me which was a first by a players perspective.
Madden 08': Not many people will tell you there was actually 2 players on this version of Madden 2008. Yes that's right everyone knows about Vince Young being on the cover, and that did not go too well predictably as he suffered an injury the first time in his career, and he would then be a distraction for the Titans and company with his attitudes that pretty much ruined his career to be any potential starting quarterback. Now the other guys was rarely seen in Hispanic cover versions, and his name is Luis Castillo. He was the first defensive end to technically be on the cover. Like Sanders, and Levens... Young and Castillo were to me an even worse pair when you compare madden covers. Castillo ended up playing for 10 games, and was released in 2012 while Young was around as a backup for plenty of teams out there.
Madden 09': I was very displeased that Brett Favre was going to be the next man up for the madden cover I was like oh no. Favre was my all time favorite Packer, and after what looked to be retirement he came back, and signed with the Jets which in that one year was scandalous due to his marred by off-field issues in which the Jets finished poorly (like they will this year predictably). Favre would then sign with the Vikings the enemy territory, and have one magical season, and one more year with the team that resulted in him actually retiring and being put into the hall of fame.
Madden 10': Two athletes featured on the cover two from the previous Superbowl Larry Fitzgerald & Troy Polamalu. Larry had a good year, but got hurt when he was named for the pro bowl, Troy had suffered a much more worse fate as he sprained his MCL which made miss a bit of the early half of the season, and the Steelers did not make the playoffs that year which was very surprising.
Madden 11': Drew Brees is a phenomenal player for the Saints, but the interesting thing about this one is that yes you could say the stunning upset when an iffy Seattle team that year beat the Saints, but down the road you never would of guessed the costly penalty of bounty gate would take on that team as they regressed afterwards.
Madden 12': In my humble opinion Peyton Hillis is easily the worst player to be on the madden cover you knew the guy would fail, and that he could not stay healthy that year which everything he wanted all of it just backfired as he was released, and had a cup of coffee with the Giants and his career was down the tubes.
Madden 13': Okay here's how I judge it in this case, yes Megatron had one heck of a year breaking Jerry Rice's record for 1,964 yards you have to also look at the fact was it a successful season for the team, and that is a no. Lions were atrocious that year, and eventually Calvin had to retired early after his prime was gone a lot like what they did with Barry in 99 that's what happened with Calvin in 2015. You can't say the curse is there in a twisted sense of making him stop.
Madden 14': Also called Madden 25 had a 360, and PS3 version with Barry Sanders on the cover appearing for the 2nd time which nothing effected his aftermath obviously, but his not the focus.. the focus is of the PS4, XB1 cover which featured Adrian Peterson who that next was labeled a child abuser, and his foot injury played into his downfall in his career, but you never know with the Saints though.
Madden 15': I look at this like did they win it all, and they were very close to finally putting away the curse, but that infamous play will haunt Seahawks fans for years. Malcolm Butler interception that basically put them out of commission, which yes they should have had Marshawn Lynch run the ball instead. Meanwhile Richard Sherman was fighting through injury the whole year, and while that was impressive to fight with a left elbow with torn ligaments... sometimes you have to judge based on the team itself, and while the Seahawks have stayed solid since then can they ever reach the superbowl again?
Madden 16': The first Wide Receiver to be on the cover... okay this is a rare exception where the player (Odell Beckham Jr.) did well, but his attitude that year was not helpful for the team to get that playoff push late that season. Week 15 that season the Giants were facing the unbeaten Panthers, and they had a chance to beat them, and instead Odell Beckham decided to ''head hunt Josh Norman from out of no where, and he was suspended for the rest of the season (or well he should of been). While technically his best season his attitude well be judged in the future if he is indeed a sore loser of the likes of Dez Bryant and company.
Madden 17': While he still played good early on it was an injury in the 2nd half that was very devastating that kept him out of the superbowl thus the curse lives on. Gronkowski might be the top Tight End, but if he keeps getting hurt that will change real fast.
Yes technically Gronkowski was on the winning team that went all the way, he never actually played so it does not count, it only counts if your active, and not inactive, and reserve off to the sides.
Madden 18': Tom Brady is arguably the ''GOAT'' of football, cheater or not you can't deny last performance by Tom Brady being the first in history to get the team not only his crucial 5th win, and also send the game in overtime was a first. The brady haters are hoping that the Patriots don't go anywhere to the superbowl, but at age 40 as a fan of Tom Brady he could get legitimately hurt bad, and to the point he may retire sooner than later. I just do not see him playing until his 45 that is hard to do. If there's anyone though that can end this curse it could be Terrific Tom Brady.
As the season begins in 3 days one thing is for sure everyone will always see the testament of the one thing that always be speculated the madden curse will live on.
Comments
I think the madden curse is forgotten. It's an interesting curse and especially this year with Tom Brady. I think if anyone can break it it's Brady - visitor
Bye Brady - 2storm
Brady may have been named MVP, but the curse took its toll in the Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles - PackFan2005