Tweet
Madden NFL Covers Through The Years
Madden NFL 18
The 29th installment of Madden is due for release on August 25. To celebrate, we're taking a look back at all the top athletes to grace the game's cover since 1988.
To start: Madden NFL 18 features Tom Brady on the cover. It's the second straight season the honor has gone to a New England Patriot.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 17
Released in 2016, this Madden iteration features Rob Gronkowski and his famous Gronk Spike on the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 16
In Madden NFL 16, the cover athlete came down to Gronkowski and Odell Beckham. As you can see, the Giants' star receiver beat out Gronk for the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 15
Seahawks star Richard Sherman won the fan vote to make the cover of Madden, the first cornerback to earn that honor.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 25
Rather than name this installment Madden NFL 14, this version was named Madden NFL 25 for the game's 25th anniversary. The title came with two different covers of legendary running backs—Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 13
Calvin Johnson won a 64-player fan vote to grace the cover of Madden NFL 13.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 12
In a vote between Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick to be the Madden cover athlete, former Browns running back Hillis won with 66 percent.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 11
In the first ever fan vote for Madden cover athlete, Drew Brees beat out Alex Smith, Jared Allen and Reggie Wayne to make the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 10
For the first time ever, the Madden franchise featured two cover athletes: Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald. The pair faced off in the previous season's Super Bowl.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 09
Brett Favre was traded to the Jets before this game was released, but he still appears in Packers' green and gold on the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 08
Fresh off his Rookie of the Year Award, Vince Young was crowned the Madden NFL 08 cover athlete.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 07
After being named MVP, Shaun Alexander earned another impressive honor by being the cover athlete for Madden NFL 07.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 06
In this entry, the series introduced Superstar Mode, allowing users to control a player from his rookie year to retirement. The game also featured WWE/UFC star Brock Lesnar as a playable character on the Vikings.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2005
In Madden NFL 05—featuring cover athlete Ray Lewis—the game introduced the famous hit stick, which allowed users to deliver a huge hit with the flick of the right analog stick on the controller.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2004
Winner of Spike Video Game Awards' Game of the Year in 2003, Madden NFL 2004—featuring Mike Vick on the cover—expanded the popular franchise mode with owner mode.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2003
Three-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk graced the cover of Madden NFL 2003.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2002
Coming off a career year, Daunte Culpepper graced the cover of this iteration of Madden. The Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady was originally not in the game, but he was added later through a roster update.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2001
This is the first game in the series to not feature John Madden on the cover, instead honoring Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2000
On most versions of the Madden NFL 2000 cover, Barry Sanders is featured in the background of the image.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 99
Madden NFL 99 was the first iteration in the series to include Franchise Mode, where users can control a team for up to 15 years.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 98
This version of Madden was the last in the series to be released for the Super NES, Genesis and Sega Saturn.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 97
Madden NFL 97 is the first game in the franchise to have 32-bit graphics.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 96
This game was the first in the series to allow users to create a player.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 95
The cover of Madden NFL 95 featured Erik Williams of the Cowboys and Karl Wilson of the 49ers in the background.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 94
This was the first game in the franchise to use official team names and logos.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football 93
This was the last game in the Madden series to not be licensed by the NFL.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden 92
This entry in the Madden franchise included instant replay and ambulances that came on the field when a player suffered an injury.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football (1990)
Only 16 generic teams were available to play in this 1990 release.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football (1988)
The first game in the historic franchise is the only Madden to be released for the Commodore and Apple II.
Photo: EA Sports
More...
The 29th installment of Madden is due for release on August 25. To celebrate, we're taking a look back at all the top athletes to grace the game's cover since 1988.
To start: Madden NFL 18 features Tom Brady on the cover. It's the second straight season the honor has gone to a New England Patriot.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 17
Released in 2016, this Madden iteration features Rob Gronkowski and his famous Gronk Spike on the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 16
In Madden NFL 16, the cover athlete came down to Gronkowski and Odell Beckham. As you can see, the Giants' star receiver beat out Gronk for the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 15
Seahawks star Richard Sherman won the fan vote to make the cover of Madden, the first cornerback to earn that honor.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 25
Rather than name this installment Madden NFL 14, this version was named Madden NFL 25 for the game's 25th anniversary. The title came with two different covers of legendary running backs—Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 13
Calvin Johnson won a 64-player fan vote to grace the cover of Madden NFL 13.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 12
In a vote between Peyton Hillis and Michael Vick to be the Madden cover athlete, former Browns running back Hillis won with 66 percent.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 11
In the first ever fan vote for Madden cover athlete, Drew Brees beat out Alex Smith, Jared Allen and Reggie Wayne to make the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 10
For the first time ever, the Madden franchise featured two cover athletes: Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald. The pair faced off in the previous season's Super Bowl.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 09
Brett Favre was traded to the Jets before this game was released, but he still appears in Packers' green and gold on the cover.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 08
Fresh off his Rookie of the Year Award, Vince Young was crowned the Madden NFL 08 cover athlete.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 07
After being named MVP, Shaun Alexander earned another impressive honor by being the cover athlete for Madden NFL 07.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 06
In this entry, the series introduced Superstar Mode, allowing users to control a player from his rookie year to retirement. The game also featured WWE/UFC star Brock Lesnar as a playable character on the Vikings.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2005
In Madden NFL 05—featuring cover athlete Ray Lewis—the game introduced the famous hit stick, which allowed users to deliver a huge hit with the flick of the right analog stick on the controller.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2004
Winner of Spike Video Game Awards' Game of the Year in 2003, Madden NFL 2004—featuring Mike Vick on the cover—expanded the popular franchise mode with owner mode.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2003
Three-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk graced the cover of Madden NFL 2003.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2002
Coming off a career year, Daunte Culpepper graced the cover of this iteration of Madden. The Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady was originally not in the game, but he was added later through a roster update.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2001
This is the first game in the series to not feature John Madden on the cover, instead honoring Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 2000
On most versions of the Madden NFL 2000 cover, Barry Sanders is featured in the background of the image.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 99
Madden NFL 99 was the first iteration in the series to include Franchise Mode, where users can control a team for up to 15 years.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 98
This version of Madden was the last in the series to be released for the Super NES, Genesis and Sega Saturn.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 97
Madden NFL 97 is the first game in the franchise to have 32-bit graphics.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 96
This game was the first in the series to allow users to create a player.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 95
The cover of Madden NFL 95 featured Erik Williams of the Cowboys and Karl Wilson of the 49ers in the background.
Photo: EA Sports
Madden NFL 94
This was the first game in the franchise to use official team names and logos.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football 93
This was the last game in the Madden series to not be licensed by the NFL.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden 92
This entry in the Madden franchise included instant replay and ambulances that came on the field when a player suffered an injury.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football (1990)
Only 16 generic teams were available to play in this 1990 release.
Photo: EA Sports
John Madden Football (1988)
The first game in the historic franchise is the only Madden to be released for the Commodore and Apple II.
Photo: EA Sports
More...