Eagles Star Saquon Barkley Gives Blunt Answer To 'Madden Curse' Question

Given his lengthy injury history, Saquon Barkley profiles as someone vulnerable to the infamous "Madden Curse." He'd be justified in feeling nervous about landing on the cover of "Madden NFL 26," this year's version of the most successful sports video game franchise of all time.

But Barkley has no regrets. In fact, he addressed the subject head-on when asked about the "Madden Curse" on Monday.

"Nah, I'm a believer in God," Barkley, appearing on an NFL Network segment, said when asked whether he considered the curse before agreeing to be the cover athlete.

"I've had injuries before. I tore my knee. I stepped on a foot and rolled my ankle, was out for four to six weeks, and there was no curse then. That's just how life works. You're going to have your ups and downs. But my mindset [coming in] is work, do what I need to do, and the rest is in God's hands."

The list of "Madden Curse" victims is long. Michael Vick, Shaun Alexander, Vince Young, and Donovan McNabb all missed extended time due to injuries during their "Madden" cover seasons, whereas the likes of Ray Lewis, Peyton Hillis, and Eddie George didn't suffer serious injuries but saw their numbers plummet.

The most recent example: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who was limited to just four games last season due to Achilles issues after landing on the "Madden NFL 25" cover.

So, although Barkley might not be worried, Philadelphia Eagles fans probably should be.