Madden 26 teaser makes fans feel like Saquon Barkley with unique shot of Philadelphia Eagles RB's iconic play

The game's teaser features an overhead shot of Barkley in action, giving fans a perspective that makes it feel like they’re seeing the game through his eyes.

Take a look for yourself here: 

Does Saquon Barkley Believe in the Madden Curse?

During an appearance on NFL Network's The Insiders, Saquon Barkley was questioned by Tom Pelissero about his belief in curses, particularly the one linked to being featured on the Madden video game cover.

"Nah, I'm a believer in God," Barkley replied. "That's my mindset, to be completely honest."

The "Madden Curse" is a long-standing NFL superstition suggesting that players featured on the cover of EA Sports' Madden NFL video game often experience injuries or a decline in performance during the subsequent season. It began with Madden NFL 99, when San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst, the first NFL player to appear on the game's cover, suffered a severe ankle injury in the playoffs, causing him to miss the next two seasons.

Over the years, several high-profile players have seemingly fallen victim to the curse. For instance, quarterback Michael Vick (Madden 2004) broke his leg in a preseason game, quarterback Donovan McNabb (Madden 2006) suffered a sports hernia that ended his season, and running back Shaun Alexander (Madden 2007) broke his foot shortly after the game's release.

It happened again last year with running Christian McCaffrey, the Madden NFL 25 cover athlete, who suffered multiple injuries during the 2024 season, limiting his play and contributing to the San Francisco 49ers' disappointing 6-11 record.

Barkley remains unfazed by the so-called "Madden Curse," or any other curse for that matter.

"I've had injuries before. I tore my knee, I stepped on a foot and rolled my ankle and was out 4-to-6 weeks, and there was no curse then," Barkley said. "That's just how life works. You're gonna have your ups and downs, but my mindset is coming in, work, do what I need to do, and the rest is in God's hands."