Madden 26 is already starting to get some buzz in the sports gaming world. Outside of the new gameplay features, the biggest question every year revolves around who will be on the cover of the game. The dreaded Madden Curse raises the stakes for fans of certain teams, but the cover showcases the players who excelled the previous year. There are always deserving candidates but here are the three best ones for the cover of Madden 26.
Madden 26 Best Choice Cover Athlete: Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley checks all the boxes. Huge year statistically last year? Check. He rushed for 2,005 yards, caught 33 passes for 278 yards, and had 15 touchdowns. Super Bowl win? Check. The Eagles took down the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, with Barkley being a huge part of the offense. Signature moment from last season? Check again. His backward hurdle made it into this year’s game, and hopefully will be back as an animation in Madden 26.
He checks all the boxes of a player you want on the cover of a video game. Even if you are not an Eagles fan, Barkley is a ton of fun to watch. Given how the team was able to retain so many pieces, it stands to reason he will be dominant again this season. Barkley has to be the top choice right now, given the season he had last year.
Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase
Barkley’s season came with a lot of winning for the team. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase put up huge stats for the team, but the defense was so bad that the team missed the playoffs. He won the triple crown in receiving last year, catching 127 passes for 1,708 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns. The former LSU star also led the league in receiving yards per game at 100.5. Chase is electric anytime he gets the ball in his hands.
Chase would be a great cover athlete for Madden 26. He just got a huge contract and should be one of the best receivers in the league for a long time. Joe Burrow has a special connection with Chase, and EA Sports could look to put both of them on the cover, given their production last year. However, Chase is the most deserving player behind Barkley.
Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels
The cover athlete isn’t always the best player from the previous season. Sometimes, they pick the best story from last season. The feel-good story of last season was the Washington Commanders. After years of playoff misses and one-and-dones, the team made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels shined down the stretch of the season, leading the team on multiple game-winning drives to get into the playoffs.
The team has built around him for the upcoming season. Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil were acquired to boost the offense. They retained their coaching staff and are ready to be real players in the NFC East. Daniels is one of the favorites to be the MVP next year and would be perfect on the cover of Madden 26.
Final Thoughts
There are many deserving candidates for the cover athlete of Madden 26. These three are the best ones based on last season’s success, but you could convince me that a handful of others are also deserving. Who will ultimately grace the cover? We will know in the next few months.
