For the first time, a former Penn State star has found himself on the cover of the latest edition of Madden.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will be the featured athlete on EA’s Madden 26, as announced Monday morning. He’s the second Eagle to get cover treatment, joining quarterback Donovan McNabb’s Madden NFL 06 pose.
And with a player as dynamic as Barkley, of course the cover is one of the most creative in the franchise’s history.
It depicts his viral backward hurdle, which he pulled off against the Jacksonville Jaguars this past season (the play has also been added to the possible animations in Madden).
“This last season’s been everything. Having the year that we were able to have as a team, win the Super Bowl, create iconic moments — it starts from imagination. Being a kid, having those moments, playing video games and saying ‘Why can’t I do it in real life?" Barkley said in a follow-up post.
Barkley had an MVP-caliber season despite falling short in the final vote to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He won his first Super Bowl with the Eagles and earned the AP’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
In his first season as an Eagle, the former Nittany Lion racked up more than 2,500 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns with another 350-plus yards and two touchdowns through the air.
His play was rewarded with a hefty payday, as Barkley signed a two-year contract extension worth $41.2 million on top of the three-year deal he signed this past offseason. It made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
Madden 26 is available for pre-order now and will release on Aug. 14.
Sign up for PennLive’s Penn State newsletters, the dailyPenn State Today and thesubscriber-exclusive Penn State Insider
Listen to the Blue-White Breakdown podcast