Caleb Williams on Madden Cover: A Look at the 'Curse' and Past QBs Facing It

After a breakout second season featuring several clutch moments that will go down in Bears all-time lore, Caleb Williams is the cover athlete for "Madden 27."  He became the first Bears player to earn the honor.

It might not be an honor many Chicago fans wanted him to earn, though, because the first thing that comes to mind regarding the Madden cover athlete, of course, is the "Madden Curse." Though the curse has seemingly been lifted in the past decade or so, it will quickly become the supposed reason for a player's down year, according to the superstitious.

Several factors work in Williams' favor to not fall among the accursed group. He's young (24), he made a gigantic jump from Year 1 to Year 2, and now he's entering his second season under offensive genius Ben Johnson. He has a bevy of weapons around him, too. The Bears as a team seem to have an upward trajectory.

(Bears fans are probably thinking, "Great, now you've cursed him and the entire team.")

Of course, position matters, too. The curse hit running backs especially hard . Quarterbacks? Well, let's take a look back and decide. Remember, the Madden year is one year ahead of the actual season, so for Madden 2002, for example, we'll evaluate Daunte Culpepper's 2000 and 2001 seasons

Madden 2002: Daunte Culpepper, Vikings

2000: 16 games (11-5 record), 3,937 pass yds, 33 pass TD (led NFL ), 16 int, 8.3 YPA; 470 rush yds, 7 rush TD (Pro Bowl) 2001: 11 games (4-7 record), 2,612 pass yds, 14 pass TD, 13 int, 7.1 YPA; 416 rush yds, 5 rush TD

Culpepper hardly played in his rookie year, then exploded onto the scene in 2000. He and Randy Moss were a big play waiting to happen, and the Vikings went all the way to the NFC Championship Game. But he took a major step backward in 2001, even before a knee injury ended his season prematurely.

Verdict: Cursed.

Madden 2004: Michael Vick, Falcons

2002: 15 games (8-6-1 record), 2,936 pass yds, 16 pass TD, 8 int, 7.0 YPA; 777 rush yds, 8 rush TD (Pro Bowl) 2003: 5 games (3-1 record), 585 pass yds, 4 pass TD, 3 int, 5.9 YPA; 255 rush yds, 1 rush TD

Vick dazzled in 2002, his first season as the full-time starter. His 777 rushing yards included a then-single-game quarterback record of 173 against the Vikings. The Falcons made the playoffs for the first time since 1998 and upset Brett Favre's Packers in the Wild Card Round. Vick finished fourth in MVP voting. But after making the "Madden" cover, his 2003 was basically over before it began. He fractured his right fibula during a preseason game and missed the first 11 contests of the season.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden 06: Donovan McNabb, Eagles

2004: 15 games (13-2 record), 31 pass TD, 8 int, 3,875 pass yds, 8.3 YPA; 220 rush yds, 1 rush TD (Pro Bowl) 2005: 9 games (4-5 record), 2,507 pass yds; 16 pass TD, 9 int, 7.0 YPA; 55 rush yds, 1 rush TD

The injury bug struck the cover quarterback once again in 2005. McNabb took a huge leap in 2004, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdown passes and fewer than 10 interceptions and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance. The arrival of Terrell Owens certainly helped, and expectations were sky-high entering 2005.

It came crashing down quickly. McNabb and Owens were at odds for a variety of reasons , and Owens was away from the team amid a contract dispute. You may recall the famous clip:

> Twelve years ago today, Terrell Owens' driveway was the place to be. Presented by @elkinschevy . pic.twitter.com/NyhCoK2ZAo — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) August 10, 2017

Despite playing through a sports hernia, McNabb was putting up some big numbers, and the Eagles were 4-2 to start. But then they lost three straight with McNabb struggling. McNabb hurt his groin after an interception in Week 10, ending his season.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden 08: Vince Young, Titans

2006: 15 games (8-5 record), 2,199 pass yds, 12 pass TD, 13 int, 6.2 YPA; 552 rush yds, 7 rush TD (Pro Bowl, Offensive Rookie of the Year) 2007: 15 games (9-6 record), 2,546 pass yds, 9 pass TD, 17 int, 6.7 YPA; 395 rush yds, 3 rush TD

If Culpepper and Vick were young when they got the cover, Young was, well, probably too young. It's easy to see why he was selected, even if his rookie year was statistically middling. He led an NFL-best five game-winning drives and, the year before, had led Texas to a national championship in one of the most thrilling title games ever played. The NFL expected it had its next star QB. Perhaps it -- and Madden -- should have been more patient. Young's turnovers swelled in 2007, and while he actually improved in several categories, he didn't have the magic (no game-winning drives) of his rookie year. In 2008, he lost his starting job.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden 09: Brett Favre, Packers/Jets

2007: 16 games (13-3 record), 4,155 pass yds, 28 pass TD, 15 int, 7.8 YPA (Pro Bowl, second-team All Pro) 2008: 16 games (9-7 record), 3,472 pass yds, 22 pass TD, 22 int (led NFL), 6.7 YPA (Pro Bowl)

This cover was originally supposed to be an homage to Favre's career after he retired, and that would have been fitting. He was excellent in 2007, finishing second in MVP voting. Instead, Favre un-retired and joined the Jets , where he had some of his signature gunslinger highlights but also far too many gunslinger lowlights: His 22 interceptions led the NFL. For the first time in Madden history, though, a cover quarterback actually started for the entire season.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden 11: Drew Brees, Saints

2009: 15 games (13-2 record), 4,388 pass yds, 34 pass TD, 11 int, 8.5 YPA (Pro Bowl, second-team All Pro) 2010: 16 games (11-5 record), 4,620 pass yds, 33 pass TD, 22 int, 7.0 YPA (Pro Bowl)

Curse finally broken?! Not quite. After leading the Saints to one of the all-time great Super Bowl triumphs, Brees put up huge counting numbers again in 2010, but the 22 interceptions are hard to overlook. So, too, is the 1.5-yard drop off in yards per attempt. And if that's not enough, Marshawn Lynch made sure to curse Brees' 2010 season, "Beastquake" mode.

> 13 years ago today... the BeastQuake happened 🔥 @MoneyLynch pic.twitter.com/UhMwWjGorQ — NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2024

Verdict: Cursed

Madden 18: Tom Brady, Patriots

2016: 12 games (11-1 record), 3,554 pass yds, 28 pass TD, 2 int, 8.2 YPA (Pro Bowl, second-team All Pro) 2017: 16 games (13-3 record), 4,577 pass yds (led NFL), 32 pass TD, 8 int, 7.9 YPA (MVP, Pro Bowl, first-team All Pro)

Like most things, Brady proved truly exceptional -- and that includes an exception to the Madden curse during a roller-coaster two-year span. Brady was suspended for the first four games of 2016 for his alleged role in the "Deflategate" scandal. He came back with a vengeance (28 touchdowns and just two interceptions?!?!), and the Patriots won the Super Bowl.

The face of controversy one year, the face on the cover the next, Brady was again tremendous in 2017, winning his third and final MVP. Brady carried that form throughout the playoffs and threw for 505 yards and three touchdowns in the Super Bowl. Ultimately, it wasn't enough, as Nick Foles and the Eagles won, with Brady taking a late strip sack. Still, it's one of Brady's best seasons.

Verdict: Not cursed

Madden 20: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

2018: 16 games (12-4 record), 5,097 pass yds, 50 pass TD (led NFL), 12 int, 8.8 YPA; 272 rush yds, 2 rush TD (MVP, Pro Bowl, first-team All Pro) 2019: 14 games (11-3 record), 4,031 pass yds, 26 pass TD, 5 int, 8.3 YPA; 218 rush yds, 2 rush TD (Pro Bowl)

Mahomes' 2018 is one of just two 5,000-yard, 50-touchdown passing seasons in NFL history, so repeating those absurd numbers was never likely. Still, he was outstanding in 2019, and he also narrowly avoided the devastating injury part of the curse, too. He missed two games due to a knee injury but returned and played well. The Chiefs won their final six regular-season games and just didn't stop winning.

In the Divisional Round, Kansas City went down 24-0 to the Texans but won 51-31 behind five Mahomes touchdowns. he threw for three more scores in the AFC Championship Game against the Titans and then played hero in a Super Bowl win over the 49ers , earning Super Bowl MVP.

Verdict: Not cursed

Madden 21: Lamar Jackson, Ravens

2019: 15 games (13-2 record), 3,127 pass yds, 36 pass TD (led NFL), 6 int, 7.8 YPA; 1,206 rush yds, 7 rush TD (MVP, Pro Bowl, first-team All Pro) 2020: 15 games (11-4 record), 2,757 pass yds, 26 pass TD, 9 int, 7.3 YPA; 1,005 rush yds, 7 rush TD

Jackson was truly electric in his first year as a starter, becoming the second player ever to win MVP unanimously and the second-youngest player to win the award, only behind Jim Brown. Some of the numbers -- especially the 36 touchdown passes, given his incredibly high touchdown rate -- were always bound to regress, but Jackson was still very good in 2020. He also earned his first postseason win, so while he wasn't MVP-level good, it was far from a cursed year.

He also delivered this famous (or infamous) moment.

> Happy Birthday, @Lj_era8 ! 🎂 Lamar Jackson's return from 'cramps' to lead the @Ravens to victory was awesome! pic.twitter.com/ozgFJXr2vQ — NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) January 7, 2021

Verdict: Not cursed

Madden 22: Tom Brady, Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Brady:

2020: 16 games (11-5 record), 4,633 pass yds, 40 pass TD, 12 int, 7.6 YPA  2021: 17 games (13-4 record), 5,316 pass yds, 43 pass TD, 12 int, 7.4 YPA (Pro Bowl, second-team All Pro)

Mahomes:

2020: 15 games (14-1 record), 4,740 pass yds, 38 pass TD, 6 int, 8.1 YPA; 308 rush yds, 2 rush TD (Pro Bowl, second-team All Pro) 2021: 17 games (12-5 record), 4,839 pass yds, 37 pass TD, 13 int, 7.4 YPA; 381 rush yds, 2 rush TD (Pro Bowl)

Months after Brady beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl, the two shared the Madden cover. Both produced very good 2021 seasons, Brady's slightly better from a passing stats perspective, but both fell short of a title. The Buccaneers nearly mounted a massive comeback against the eventual champion  Rams ; the Chiefs blew a lead in the AFC Championship Game against the Bengals .

Verdict: Not cursed

Madden 23: Josh Allen, Bills

2021: 17 games (11-6 record), 4,407 pass yds, 36 pass TD, 15 int, 6.8 YPA; 763 rush yds, 6 rush TD 2022: 16 games (13-3 record), 4,283 pass yds, 25 pass TD, 14 int; 762 rush yds, 7 rush TD (Pro Bowl)

Allen reached stardom in 2020, but he had to wait another offseason before landing his first cover appearance. The  Bills'  star, fresh off a heartbreaking loss to the Chiefs (the 13-second game), easily defeated the curse in 2022, but he ultimately couldn't end Buffalo's playoff sadness. The Bills crashed out in the Divisional Round with a 27-10 loss to the Bengals and are still looking for their first Super Bowl.

Verdict: Not cursed

Add CBS Sports on Google Join the Conversation comments

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/caleb-williams-madden-curse-quarterbacks-history/)._