Eagles Saquon Barkley Rejects Madden Curse Concerns

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has been named the cover athlete for Madden NFL 26, marking a significant milestone as the first Eagles player to be featured since Donovan McNabb in 2006. Barkley, who had a historic 2024 season including setting a new NFL single-season rushing record and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory, expressed no concern about the infamous "Madden Curse," attributing his mindset to faith and focusing on hard work. While the "Madden Curse" has been associated with injuries and performance declines for several previous cover athletes like Christian McCaffrey and Shaun Alexander, others such as Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson have not experienced such setbacks. Barkley emphasized that injuries are part of life and his approach is to perform his best while trusting in God. The Eagles are preparing for a challenging 2025 season with most of their championship roster intact and key defensive additions, aiming to build a dynasty. Fans and the media remain watchful, but Barkley's confidence and recent achievements position him and the Eagles as legitimate Super Bowl contenders.