EA, the creator of the Madden video game series, is reportedly looking to be sold or merged with a titanic company. But the show goes on for Madden 23, and we should get a cover athlete announcement soon. Today’s Top Ten Tuesday highlights some of the top candidates for the Madden 23 cover.
10. Austin Ekeler
Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is good on social media, and he’s a total fan favorite when it comes to fantasy football because of his engagement with fantasy players. He also plays in Los Angeles, a city that big companies like the NFL and EA like to push. And Ekeler’s versatility and dynamic ability can be video-game like, which is a fit for Madden.
9. Kyler Murray
Getting a potential issue of putting Kyler Murray on the cover out of the way, gamers are tired of how unstoppable athletic quarterbacks like Murray and Lamar Jackson can be in the game; so this cover choice might get a lot of eye rolls—as the cover athlete, Murray would likely be an overpowering scrambler in the game. However, Murray is a former No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner, and he feels like a fit to be on the cover at some point.
8. Joe Burrow
The Madden 23 cover should really just be Joe Burrow in his now-famous jacket ahead of the AFC Championship Game:
JB9 pic.twitter.com/m6ZSCqhTKE
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 29, 2022
Burrow is obviously a strong candidate for the cover and will be on it at some point if he wants to be.
7. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is nearing the end of his career and will presumably only play for the Packers, and now would be strong timing to put him on the Madden cover—if he is even interested in it, which he might not be considering his somewhat unpredictable personality. Rodgers has won back-to-back MVPs, so it’s hard to do much better than him for the cover athlete.
6. Cooper Kupp
Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp lit it up all last season, and it’d be nice to have an emphasis on more realistic route running in Madden moving forward. Kupp being on the cover of this year’s game could help drive that point, as the game does not feel realistic enough when it comes to receiver and defensive back movement.
5. Aaron Donald
Play in the trenches isn’t in a terrible spot in Madden, but pretty much everyone agrees that gameplay can be improved everywhere. So, getting someone like Aaron Donald on the cover could indicate that EA wants to get more realistic all around. Donald, who apparently considered retirement after the Rams’ Super Bowl, seems to be at the end of his career, and this would be the year to put him on the cover.
4. Justin Herbert
Perhaps Justin Herbert’s time on the Madden cover is a year or two away, but the third-year quarterback is undoubtedly one of the NFL’s top superstars, and he should be in heavy consideration as the cover athlete depending on what other potential options decide. Herbert shows no signs of slowing down, getting better with experience.
3. Micah Parsons
A Dallas Cowboy. A defensive player. Someone that plays Madden himself. An entertaining personality. Micah Parsons needs to be a Madden cover athlete at some point, and it’s overdue for the defense gets more love from the game developers. Parsons’ opportunity on the cover will come, and it could be reminiscent of Ray Lewis on Madden 2005 whenever it does.
2. Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor by far led the NFL in rushing last season, and he’s entering his third season at just 23 years old for a steady Colts team that should contend with Matt Ryan under center in 2022. The Colts running back is one of the safest potential cover athletes imaginable. He’s a stud of a player and a great guy that would be an easy sell to consumers.
1. Josh Allen
Even just a year ago, many of the haters would have laughed at the suggestion of Josh Allen being a top candidate for the Madden cover. But everyone is on board now after Allen lit it up once again in 2021 and then had one of the best postseasons in NFL history. Going from perhaps the most criticized player in the league to a universal beloved superstar quarterback, the Bills passer would be a slam-dunk choice for the Madden 23 cover.