3 best NFL players who have graced the cover of Madden

The Madden NFL franchise began with John Madden himself gracing the cover of the game for over a decade. That all changed with Madden NFL 2001 when Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George was on the cover. Since then, star players have been on the cover every single year.

The only odd sight on the cover has been former Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. He was on the Madden NFL 12 cover after one solid season in Cleveland. Former Titans quarterback Vince Young is another questionable choice, but both were stars at the time of their respective cover honors.

So who are the biggest stars to ever grace the cover? We will leave Madden himself out of the discussion and look at NFL players who have been on the game's cover since 2000.

Which player tops the list?

3 - Brett Favre, Madden NFL 09

This cover is one of the most unique in the game's storied history. That is because Brett Favre was named as the cover athlete after retiring from the Green Bay Packers. But just before the game dropped, he came back and was traded to the New York Jets.

Even with the change in uniform, Favre remained an NFL legend for his time with the Packers. He won a Super Bowl, three consecutive NFL MVP awards, and made 11 Pro Bowls.

He also went on to have a few successful seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before calling it a career.

2 - Barry Sanders, Madden NFL 25

Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders appeared on the 2013 version of the game that celebrates its 25th anniversary. Sanders is famously known for leaving the NFL at his peak, following a decade of dominance.

He ran for 15,269 yards between 1989-1998 and was named the NFL MVP for the 1997 season. He made the Pro Bowl every single season of his career and was an All-Pro every season as well.

Sanders retired with 99 rushing touchdowns and left the game after rushing for 1,491 yards in 1998. Unfortunately, one of the game's best players left early because of mismanagement within the Lions organization.

1 - Tom Brady, Madden NFL 18 and Madden NFL 22

Tom Brady joins Patrick Mahomes as the only player to be on the cover twice. He appeared individually on Madden NFL 18, and the pair showed up together on Madden NFL 22.

Brady's NFL resume is impossible to top, and he is still going. He has won seven Super Bowls and was named MVP of the game five times. He has also won three NFL MVP awards and is the only player to ever make 15 Pro Bowls.

Brady has led two organizations to a Super Bowl title and is playing at an MVP level at the age of 44. The only shock is that it took him so long to get on the cover after dominating the NFL for such an extended period of time.

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