San Francisco 49ers superstar running back Christian McCaffrey was officially revealed as the cover athlete for the upcoming Madden 25 video game to be released on Aug. 16. McCaffrey joins a list of elite players to don the cover recently, including Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Lamar Jackson. He's the first running back to earn the honor since Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders donned separate Madden covers in 2014.
Christian McCaffrey is officially the cover athlete for Madden 25 👏 pic.twitter.com/4ED6Cbl4mn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 11, 2024
It's been a helluva week for McCaffrey, who recently signed a two-year extension through 2027 that added $38 million to his agreement. Attention swiftly shifts to which superstar performer will take his place on next year's Madden 26 cover. We've identified three potential options.
JOE BURROW, QB, CINCINNATI BENGALS
Joe Burrow is arguably the best quarterback in the league that hasn't been featured on a Madden cover. It wouldn't be shocking if Burrow enjoyed a bounce-back campaign in 2024 that culminates with EA Sports recognizing his efforts.
Wrist and calf injuries limited Burrow to 10 games in 2023, taking him out of the running for Madden 25. Now healthy and available, the former No. 1 overall selection should recapture the previous form that made him an annual MVP contender. A 4,500-yard, 40-plus touchdown season is within the realm of possibility for Burrow, as is a Super Bowl trophy for the Bengals. Either one would make him a leading candidate to be Madden 26's cover star.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON, WR, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
A wide receiver hasn't been featured on the Madden cover since Antonio Brown in 2019. Justin Jefferson is the league's best receiver and he was just suitably rewarded by the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings signed Jefferson to a record-breaking four-year, $140 million contract extension that includes $110 million in guarantees earlier this month.
The former NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2022) still experienced an excellent campaign in 2023 despite missing seven games with injury. Jefferson managed to conclude the season with 1,000-plus receiving yards through just 10 appearances. Jefferson also set an NFL record for the most receiving yards through a player's first four completed seasons.
A healthy Jefferson could threaten to set the single-season receiving yards record in 2024.
T.J. WATT, EDGE, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
A defensive player hasn't been on the Madden cover in more than a decade. The last one was former Seattle Seahawks cornerback all-time great Richard Sherman in 2015. Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt would be an excellent candidate to end the 10-year-and-counting drought for defenders.
The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is a four-time First-Team All-Pro selection and a six-time Pro Bowler. Watt concluded that campaign by tying the single-season sack record with 22.5 quarterback takedowns. After an injury-shortened 2022, Watt bounced back this past season with a league-leading 19.0 sacks.
Another near-20 sack season could see Watt capture one of the few achievements that have eluded him so far as the Madden cover athlete.
