TGR - "The first video game to bear Madden's name was released way back in 1988, called John Madden Football. But it didn't sport an athlete on the cover, only Madden himself. An actual player didn't grace the cover for more than a decade.
Perhaps replacing Madden's rosy-cheeked face upset the cosmos; the Madden Curse was born. Every cover athlete has fallen on hard times after the game's release, but many players and gamers deny its existence. After all, football is a rough sport by nature. Players are bound to have a tough year now and again. Right?"