Saquon Barkley wasn’t going to turn down the chance to be the Madden NFL 26 cover star.
When he got the invite, he stayed focused on how many people would love to be in his shoes — not the so-called “Madden curse.”
“I know so many people, so many kids that ... would love to be in the position I’m in right now,” the Philadelphia Eagles running back told NFL Network on Monday.
Barkley went on to explain that he believes in God, not curses.
“I’ve had injuries before. I tore my knee, I stepped on a foot and rolled my ankle and was out 4-to-6 weeks, and there was no curse then,” he said. “That’s just how life works. You’re gonna have your ups and downs, but my mindset is coming in, work, do what I need to do, and the rest is in God’s hands.”
Does Saquon Barkley believe in curses? “Nah, I’m a believer in God.”
Great stuff from Saquon — including the real back story behind the Madden cover shoot. https://t.co/VdMlhVK9mv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 2, 2025
The Madden curse
Barkley was asked about the Madden curse because it’s become a major talking point in conversations about the popular video game.
Some fans believe the athlete featured on the cover is doomed to perform poorly in the future, whether because of a significant injury or some other factor.
“Numerous stars to grace the Madden cover have (dealt) with injury issues,” per USA Today. “That includes Madden 25 cover athlete Christian McCaffrey, who was limited to four games in 2024 because of Achilles tendonitis and a PCL sprain in his knee."
The article noted that rumors of a Madden curse have circulated for more than two decades.
The 1999 cover star, San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst, is widely believed to be the first victim, since his 1998-99 season was disrupted by a gruesome ankle injury.
“Complications from the injury — including avascular necrosis, which caused a bone in his injured foot to die — kept him out of the league for two seasons before he returned to play for the 49ers in 2001," USA Today reported.
This combo of images provided by EA Sports shows Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on the cover of EA Sports' Madden 26 deluxe edition, left, and standard edition.| EA Sports via Associated Press
Saquon Barkley on Madden cover
Even if he’s right about the Madden curse, Barkley may regress in the upcoming NFL season simply because his 2024-25 season would be hard to exceed.
Barkley rushed for more than 2,000 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
He was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year just before he and his Eagles teammates won the Super Bowl.
For the Madden NFL 26 cover, Barkley recreated his iconic reverse hurdle from a Nov. 3 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He told NFL Network that the photo shoot for Madden made him “realize how special (that play) was.”
“When we had to recreate it, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I feel comfortable doing this not in the midst of a game,’” he said.
Barkley and the Madden team ultimately decided to use a harness for the photo shoot, he explained.