Seahawks avoid the so-called ‘Madden curse’

If you believe in the “Madden curse,” then the Seattle Seahawks just dodged a bullet.

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was announced as the cover athlete for EA Sports’ Madden NFL 27 video game this week, ending any possibility that a member from the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks would receive the distinction.

The jump. The #Madden27 Cover. The future.

Gridiron heroics earn @CALEBcsw Cover Athlete status!

Full reveal Thursday, 6/4 at 8 PM ET
🔗: https://t.co/REHXoqeZIf pic.twitter.com/VBzO40XbdF

— Madden NFL 27 (@EAMaddenNFL) June 3, 2026

Over the years, some players have experienced a down season or injury-riddled campaign after landing on the cover – giving birth to the so-called “Madden curse.”

The Seahawks have twice had a Madden cover athlete – and some could argue both succumbed to the curse, at least to some degree.

In 2006, star running back Shaun Alexander was featured on the Madden NFL 07 cover following his 2005 MVP campaign that propelled the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance.

But after landing on the cover, Alexander fractured his foot early in the 2006 season and was never the same after that, spending just three more seasons in the NFL.

And in 2014, star cornerback Richard Sherman was on the Madden NFL 15 cover after he and the Legion of Boom led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl title.

Sherman followed his cover selection with another spectacular season in 2014, earning first-team All-Pro honors after a four-interception campaign.

However, Sherman tore ligaments in his elbow during the NFC Championship Game, which forced him to play through the injury in the Super Bowl – which ended in heartbreaking fashion with Russell Wilson’s goal-line interception in the final minute.

Of course, those ups and downs could simply be explained as the natural ebbs and flows of the NFL.

But regardless, for now, Seahawks fans don’t have to worry if the curse is real or not.

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