The Madden video game franchise has been a fan favorite for 20 years. Because it’s the most popular football game around, being on its cover is an honor. Each year, the sport’s best (or at least most popular) players are chosen. This has included everyone from future Hall of Famers to talented newcomers.

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?

• Madden NFL ’99
  Player: Garrison Hearst
  Position: Running Back, San Fransisco 49ers
  
  
  
  
  Garrison Hearst closed out the 1998 season with an impressive record, racking up 1,570 rushing yards. That was enough to set a new franchise record, and his position as one of the league’s premiere running backs earned him the first ever Madden cover. During a scrimmage in early January 1999, however, Hearst suffered a gruesome ankle fracture. He didn’t play a single game in the 1999 or 2000 seasons. He ended his career in 2004 without ever again coming close to his 1998 record.
  
  Verdict: Cursed


• Madden NFL 2000
  Player: Barry Sanders / Dorsey Levens
  Position: Running Back, Detroit Lions / Running Back, Green Bay Packers
  
  
  
  
  The 2000 cover actually featured two different players. The first player chosen was prolific running back Barry Sanders, who closed out the 1999 season just short of the NFL’s all-time rushing record. He was expected to break it in 2000, but just before the start of summer training camp, Sanders inexplicably retired. He never played again, but he was inducted into the hall of fame in 2004.
  
  Early shipments of Madden NFL 2000 were stuck with the Sanders cover, so EA substituted Dorsey Levens in later shipments (mostly destined for Europe). Levens, however, had a dismal 2000 season. He only played in five games due to a bad knee injury from the previous season, and was released from the Packers in 2001. He played three more seasons with other teams, but mostly in a backup role.
  
  Verdict: Sanders -- Escaped, Levens -- Cursed