Why 49ers' Christian McCaffrey landing 'Madden' cover is a big deal

Since 2000, only five running backs have graced the cover of “Madden” — Eddie George, Marshall Faulk, Shaun Alexander, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Hillis — and it’s been 13 years since the last.

EA Sports could have went with an up-and-coming, face-of-the-league type player at a sexier position like Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud or Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson to appease the NFL.

But instead it chose to give tailbacks their due and acknowledge what many have been saying for years: running backs are more valuable, and by extension more popular, than they’re often given credit for.

“It's really humbling,” McCaffrey told ESPN. “This is such a cool milestone for me, and to be on the cover, I think of those people who have helped me along the way, and obviously being the first 49ers player is really humbling when you think about how many greats have played for this organization.”

McCaffrey is arguably the only superstar RB in the NFL, and a true top-five player regardless of position. In a league that chews up and spits out running backs like they’re sticks of chewing gum, McCaffrey makes people notice him for what he does when he gets the ball and not where he lines up on the field.

Leading the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage (nearly 200 more than the next-closest player) and 1,459 rushing yards (nearly 300 more than the next-closest player), McCaffrey was the only non-quarterback to seriously contend in the MVP race last season. He also tied the NFL record for most consecutive games with a touchdown (17) last season.

McCaffrey is the highest-paid RB in the NFL ($19 million per season), and he’s the only player at his position to be ranked in the top 132 highest-paid players in terms of average salary, making him a true outlier in a league where salary is often equated to star level.