Is the Madden Curse Broken?

Yesterday, the Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years, much to the delight of fans throughout the state of Missouri. That outcome was certainly in doubt for some right up until the very end of the game, as the Chiefs overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers. Of course, the Chiefs also had a curse to contend with. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes graced the cover of Madden 20 last year, and the so-called “Madden Curse” was likely on the minds of a number of Chiefs fans throughout the game. While Mahomes and the Chiefs rallied to win, Alyssa Roenigk, who coined the term, says the curse might not actually be broken.

“I do think in some respects Drew Brees would be the first athlete I consider having broken the curse,” Roenigk said in an interview with the Washington Post. “But also, yes, I do think the curse will continue.”

The Madden Curse was first documented in 2002, in a piece Roenigk wrote for ESPN The Magazine. Since then, it’s been hotly debated between sports fans and gamers, alike. Nearly every year since, the cover athlete has faced some form of injury or career downturn. As a result, fans have gone so far as to lobby for their favorite athletes not to make the cover, or to decline it, if offered. Madden publisher Electronic Arts even considered making a sports comedy film centered around the Madden Curse at one point, before the project was seemingly shelved.

Last night, Mahomes threw two interceptions; had the evening went differently, fans might be attributing those picks to the Madden Curse, today. Mahomes is only the second cover athlete to win the Super Bowl. Rob Gronkowski did it in 2017 when the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl, but that circumstance is all the more notable given the fact that Gronk missed the game due to injury.

Of course, while sports fans have always been notably superstitious, there are plenty of logical reasons for the injuries and career downturns associated with the so-called curse. Athletes are always selected for the cover when they’re in a particularly strong point in their career, which means expectations are high, and so is their profile. Combined with the frequent number of injuries in the sport, it’s no wonder so many face issues. If there’s one person who likely doesn’t believe in the curse anymore, however, it’s Patrick Mahomes.

Do you believe in the Madden Curse? Would you still want to see your favorite player grace the cover? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!