Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley has been rewarded multiple times for his great 2024 season, including receiving a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension this offseason from Philadelphia, making him the highest-paid player at his position.
Barkley’s latest honor came on Monday morning when he was named the cover of Madden NFL 26. His reverse leap hurdle —one of the most incredible athletic feats an NFL player has ever pulled off — is the cover picture.
He will be the first Eagles’ player on the Madden cover since quarterback Donovan McNabb made it in 2006, an accomplishment that he is proud of.
“I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support,” Barkley said in a statement, per Eagles.com. “I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.”
Past winners of the Madden cover have struggled the year after, making people believe it’s a curse to be on it. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was on the cover last year and only played in four games due to injuries. Some people are worried the same could happen to Barkley.
“Saquon Barkley on the cover of Madden. Welp get ready for a torn ACL due to the Madden curse,” a Saints fan tweeted on X.
“Damn Eagles got the Madden Curse now. Smh damn Saquon Barkley,” another person said on X.
“Saquon Barkley will be one of the Madden cover athletes that breaks the curse,” an Eagles fan wrote.
In recent history, though, most Madden winners have not struggled. Bills’ Josh Allen (2024), Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (2021) and Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (2022) continued to be among the best quarterbacks in the NFL and stayed healthy.
In his first season (2024) with the Eagles, Barkley, a former New York Giants running back, rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, becoming the ninth RB in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards. His dominance carried the Eagles’ offense during the team’s Super Bowl run, putting him in the conversation as one of the NFL’s best players last season.
Barkley won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award and finished third in MVP voting behind Allen and Jackson.
Throughout the season, the Giants were ripped for not re-signing Barkley last offseason. He became a bigger star in Philadelphia, creating a new legacy.
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