Madden 26 new cover shows iconic play of the Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley will be the first Philadelphia offensive lineman to appear on the cover of Madden NFL 26.
Running back Saquon Barkley and his legendary reverse hurdle were announced by EA Sports this Monday. This is the first time that a Philadelphia offensive player appears on the cover, but the second time that the Eagles have the chance.
"Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL '99 Club' are both dreams come true," the running back said. "I'm grateful to my teammates, coaches and Eagles fans for their support, and I can't wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26."
What is the play that appears on the cover?
The iconic jump occurred against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Eagles were facing a third-and-6 early in the second quarter when Barkley received a pass from Jalen Hurts in the flat. With a spin move on Devin Lloyd, the RB continued the run as Lloyd fell to the ground. Then, Barkley turned his back to Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, elevated and blindly leapfrogged him, gaining an extra five yards for a total 14-yard gain.
He rushed for 499 yards and five touchdowns in the playoffs to help Philadelphia win their second Super Bowl and bring the Lombardi Trophy back home. The running back had a chance to take Eric Dickerson's regular-season rushing title, but the Eagles decided to rest their main players in the finale against the New York Giants in order to rest for the postseason matches.
Madden's curse on Barkley
NFL fans have a popular belief about EA's game: every player that appears on the cover suffers a significant injury in the next part of the season. This began in 1999, when Madden decided to put a player on the cover for the first time. The chosen one was Garrison Hearst, who broke his ankle in the postseason.
Since then, many players have been "suffering" from the curse. Donovan McNabb, the Philadelphia Eagles' first player on the cover, also had a hernia. However, there are some players who were not part of the curse, like Drew Brees, Troy Polamalu, and Calvin Johnson. Barkley appears not to be affected by this curse, since the postseason has ended, although some players suffered an injury in the next season after his appearance.
