Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been revealed as the cover athlete for EA Sports’ Madden 27 video game.
The QB is the first player at his position to grace the cover of the annual football game since Josh Allen was on the cover of Madden 24 in 2024.
Williams has been in the NFL for only two years. He has played in 34 games so far and has a 16-18 record as a starter.
The Bears selected Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He started all 17 games as a rookie, but finished the season 5-12. Williams threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in 2024.
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His second season was better than his first. Under new head coach Ben Johnson, Williams and the Bears went 11-6. He nearly became the first Bears quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season, but finished just shy with 3,942 passing yards.
Williams added 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He led Chicago to the divisional round and even had a last-minute touchdown in regulation to push the game into overtime, but the Bears ended up losing to the Los Angeles Rams after he threw his third interception of the game.
Chicago fans may be a little nervous to see Williams on the cover. Since the game’s release in 2000, there has been a canonical “Madden curse” that seemed to follow that year’s cover athlete.
The curse has taken many forms, from career lows to freak injuries. Last year, Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley ran for 1,140 yards with seven touchdowns compared to 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns before being named cover athlete for Madden 26.
Christian McCaffrey was on the cover of Madden 25. His 2024 campaign consisted of only four games as he continually dealt with calf and Achilles injuries.
When Allen was on the cover in 2023 for Madden 24, the Bills went 11-6. The quarterback still threw for 4,306 passing yards. Allen had a career-high 18 interceptions, but also a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns.
Williams will look to stop the trend and help Chicago improve on its 11-6 2025 campaign with eyes set on another run to the playoffs in 2026.