Five players who should be the ‘Madden 2025’ cover athlete

Though it’s not as glamorous as winning an individual performance award like Offensive/Defensive Player of the Year or MVP, being named the “Madden” cover athlete is a big deal to many players. Here are five players who deserve to be on the cover of this year’s game.

1. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans

Stroud had one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history in 2023, and he’s already considered one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Stroud has done many interviews and made plenty of media appearances this offseason, and the NFL would like him to become one of the faces of the league.

What better way to accomplish that than plastering his image all over arguably the most popular video game on the planet? Stroud is a star in the making, and the NFL would be wise to capitalize on his soaring popularity.

2. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Being chosen as the “Madden” cover athlete would be the cherry on top of Jefferson’s wildly successful offseason. The Vikings set the 24-year-old wideout up for success by drafting franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy to throw to him after losing Kirk Cousins in free agency, then Jefferson became the highest-paid receiver in NFL history after Minnesota handed him a four-year, $140 million contract extension.

Many consider Jefferson the top receiver in the NFL right now, which is even more reason to make him just the fourth solo WR on the cover of “Madden” (Larry Fitzgerald shared a cover with Troy Polamalu in 2010.)

3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Like Jefferson, McCaffrey was given a nice new contract extension by the 49ers that kept him as the highest-paid running back in the league. McCaffrey led the NFL in rushing yards (1,459), yards from scrimmage (2,023) and total touchdowns (21) last season.

He tied the NFL record for most consecutive games with a touchdown (17) and was a legitimate MVP candidate through the end of the regular season. Running backs rarely get the recognition they deserve, but if one deserves to grace the cover of “Madden,” it’s McCaffrey.

4. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Many believe Watt was slighted by not winning Defensive Player of the Year last season after leading the league with 19 sacks and finishing fifth in tackles for loss (19) and seventh in pressures (86). And while making him the “Madden” cover athlete doesn’t make up for not winning the award, it certainly gives a tip of the cap to his All-Pro season.

Only two defensive players have ever graced the “Madden” cover — Ray Lewis in 2005 and Richard Sherman in 2015 (three, if you count Polamalu in 2010) — so why not capitalize on Watt’s popularity (he had the fourth-highest selling jersey last season) and buck the trend of going with whichever quarterback is the new golden boy?

5. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers

Speaking of new golden boys, Love’s star is on the rise after his breakout 2023 season, in which he threw for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions and became the first Packers quarterback since the merger to lead the team to the playoffs in his first full season as the starter.

The 25-year-old signal-caller also threw for more yards and touchdowns with fewer interceptions than his previous two predecessors, Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre. Neither were “Madden” cover athletes with the Packers, though Favre made it in 2009 with the New York Jets, and landing cover-athlete status would help further distance Love from Rodgers’ shadow.