Saquon Barkley Named Madden 26 Cover Star

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has been named the cover athlete for Madden NFL 26 after a historic, Super Bowl-winning season with 2,005 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. Barkley's reverse hurdle over a Jacksonville Jaguars defender, which went viral, is featured as the game's cover art. He becomes the first Eagles offensive player to receive the game's top '99 Club' rating. The announcement was marked by a fan celebration at Geno’s Steaks in Philadelphia, where a special 'Steakquon’s' cheesesteak was launched in his honor. Christian McCaffrey, last year's cover athlete, publicly congratulated Barkley, underscoring camaraderie among elite running backs. Fans have revived jokes about the 'Madden Curse,' but the response has been overwhelmingly positive.