Each summer time, the Madden cowl athlete is revealed and generates an unbelievable quantity of hype. Who will or not it’s? That buzz lasts for many of the summer time till the sport comes out, after which quickly after, precise soccer is upon us, with the NFL’s common season often beginning very quickly after the discharge of the sport.
This yr, Saquon Barkley was named to the duvet— reigning Tremendous Bowl champion and the most recent member of the two,000-yard single-season dashing membership.
Being picked for the Madden cowl is a big accomplishment. Solely the perfect gamers make it there, and typically, an all-time nice participant is picked for the duvet – assume Barry Sanders in 2014. The sport’s launch dates again to the late Eighties and has picked up steam yearly since. That’s a whole lot of star energy for the sport’s cowl. So, who’re the perfect cowl athletes to be picked?
With that query in thoughts, FOX Sports activities Analysis compiled a listing of the highest 10 Madden cowl athletes as we head into the 2026 model of the sport.
High 10 Madden cowl athletes of all-time
10. John Madden (1988-2000, 2023)
The one coach on this record and becoming that it is the coach the sport is known as after. Madden was an elite coach, but additionally delivered within the broadcast sales space and his video games helped combine everybody from younger youngsters to older adults into the world of soccer. He’s the one that has been on the duvet of the sport probably the most (and rightly so), however his teaching acumen was an enormous motive why it made sense. The Corridor of Famer claimed 10 or extra wins in 5 of his final seven seasons on the sidelines, whereas additionally profitable his lone Tremendous Bowl with the Raiders in 1976.
9. Brett Favre (2009)
The true definition of a gunslinger, Favre was a prolific passer for a staggering 20 seasons within the league (19 as a starter). He gained three consecutive league MVP awards from 1995 to 1997 — he is nonetheless the one participant in league historical past to win three straight. From a statistical standpoint, he ranks fourth all time in passing yards (71,838) and fourth in passing touchdowns (508), and he is tied for the second-most wins (186). For the postseason, he cracks the highest 5 in passing yards and touchdowns, whereas being one among solely eight quarterbacks ever with 13 wins. He led the Packers to a Tremendous Bowl title within the 1996 season
8. Ray Lewis (2005)
A banner yr for Lewis, the hard-hitting linebacker claimed his second, and what would show to be his final, Defensive Participant of the Yr award in 2003. It was additionally properly deserved, with the thumped amassing six interceptions that yr, greater than he had within the earlier two seasons mixed, and racking up 163 tackles, probably the most he had in 4 seasons. For his troubles, he additionally earned MVP votes, ending sixth within the voting.
A number of cowl athletes! Two legends graced the duvet for the 2010 model of the sport. This alternative, after all, got here off the unbelievable Tremendous Bowl the place the Steelers squeaked previous the surging Cardinals to say one other Lombardi Trophy. Nonetheless, they selected two all-timers for this one. Fitzgerald posted 1,431 receiving yards off his 96 receptions, and led the league with 12 receiving touchdowns. On the opposite facet of the ball, Polamalu had seven interceptions, 17 passes defended and 73 tackles to his credit score. It was a daring alternative, however befitting the efficiency for each in Tremendous Bowl XLIII.
6. Marshall Faulk (2003)
Faulk earned his place on the duvet from his do-it-all skills and for serving to lead among the finest offenses the sport has ever seen. His 2001 season, which earned him the duvet spot, was his fourth consecutive over 1,300 dashing yards, and it was his third straight yr he led the NFL in yards per try. Furthermore, it was additionally the third straight season he completed within the prime two in MVP voting. He gained the distinction in 2000, however was runner-up in each 1999 and 2001. In 2001, although, he would accept Offensive Participant of the Yr and a variety to the AP All-Professional First-Staff
Maybe the perfect tight finish ever to grace the gridiron, Gronk had the second-most receiving yards in a single season in his profession previous to being named the Madden cowl star. The burly receiver snagged 72 catches to pair with 1,176 receiving yards, along with being an absolute pressure blocking within the run sport. That led him to be named to the Professional Bowl and First-Staff All-Professional, solidifying his standing as a prime TE within the sport.
4. Calvin Johnson (2013)
Johnson’s finest yr truly got here the yr his sport launched, with 2012 marking the season he set the single-season receiving yard mark. Regardless of that, his 2011 was nonetheless unbelievable irrespective of the way you slice it. His 1,681 receiving yards had been probably the most within the league, averaging 105.1 per sport. He was additionally capable of finding the tip zone a median of 1 time per sport, ending with 16 touchdowns on the yr. He would earn a Professional Bowl and First-Staff All-Professional for his troubles.
Brees’ profession was statistically simple. He and Tom Brady are the one two quarterbacks to throw for 80,000 profession yards, Brees’ 571 landing passes are the second-most all-time, and his 172 wins rank fourth. Brees made a whopping 13 Professional Bowls and led the league in passing yards seven instances in his 20-year profession. Within the 2009 season, he led the Saints to their solely Tremendous Bowl title — in opposition to Peyton Manning’s Colts — and was MVP of the sport. Brees twice gained Offensive Participant of the Yr.
2. Barry Sanders (2014)
An NFL legend makes his means onto the Madden cowl. Barry Sanders was, and perhaps nonetheless is, probably the most elusive again to ever go well with up within the NFL. The Lions legend is remembered by everybody and for good motive. He led the NFL in dashing yards 4 separate instances, averaged over 100 yards per sport in 4 completely different seasons and completed his profession averaging 99.8 yards per sport. One of the fascinating instances as properly is how he left the sport. Sanders collected the MVP award in his second to final season within the league and powered his approach to 1,491 dashing yards in his last season for Detroit.
It was all the time going to be the 2022 sport, which might, when all is claimed and accomplished, characteristic the 2 biggest QBs of all-time. Furthermore, additionally they met within the Tremendous Bowl for the 2020 season, with the sport happening in 2021. That, after all, was when Tom Brady and the Bucs dismantled Mahomes and the Chiefs 31-9, giving Brady yet one more ring for his historic profession. Each QBs had their greatness on full show for 2020 although, with Brady tossing 40 TDs and accumulating 4,633 move yards whereas Mahomes added 4,740 move yards and 38 TDs.
Honorable point out
Michael Vick (2004)Lamar Jackson (2021)Josh Allen (2024)Christian McCaffrey (2025)Saquon Barkley (2026)
Take a look at all of our Day by day Rankers.
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