Since 2000, the Madden video game franchise has had a star player grace its cover. Prior to that, the late legendary coach and the game’s namesake, John Madden, was front and center. But which school has produced the most cover athletes over the years?
Every Madden Cover Athlete by School
College of San Mateo – 1
- 1988-1993: John Madden, College of San Mateo
- Madden NFL 94: John Madden
- Madden NFL 95: John Madden
- Madden NFL 96: John Madden
- Madden NFL 97-99: John Madden
- Madden NFL 2000: John Madden
- Madden NFL 23: John Madden
Oklahoma State – 1
- Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360 and PS3): Barry Sanders, RB
Ohio State – 1
- Madden NFL 2001: Eddie George, RB
UCF – 1
- Madden NFL 2002: Daunte Culpepper, QB
San Diego State – 1
- Madden NFL 2003: Marshall Faulk, RB
Virginia Tech – 1
- Madden NFL 2004: Michael Vick, QB
Miami (FL) – 1
- Madden NFL 2005: Ray Lewis, LB
Syracuse – 1
- Madden NFL 06: Donovan McNabb, QB
Alabama – 1
- Madden NFL 07: Shaun Alexander, RB
Texas – 1
- Madden NFL 08: Vince Young, QB
Southern Miss – 1
- Madden NFL 09: Brett Favre, QB
USC – 1
- Madden NFL 10: Troy Polamalu, S
Pitt – 1
- Madden NFL 10: Larry Fitzgerald, WR
Purdue – 1
- Madden NFL 11: Drew Brees, QB
Arkansas -1
- Madden NFL 12: Peyton Hillis, RB
Georgia Tech – 1
- Madden NFL 13: Calvin Johnson, WR
Oklahoma – 1
- Madden NFL 25 (Xbox One and PS4): Adrian Peterson, RB
Penn State – 1
- Madden NFL 26: Saquon Barkley, RB
Stanford – 2
- Madden NFL 15: Richard Sherman, CB
- Madden NFL 25: Christian McCaffrey, RB
LSU – 1
- Madden NFL 16: Odell Beckham Jr., WR
Arizona – 1
- Madden NFL 17: Rob Gronkowski, TE
Michigan – 1
- Madden NFL 18: Tom Brady, QB
- Madden NFL 22: Tom Brady, QB
Central Michigan – 1
- Madden NFL 19: Antonio Brown, WR
Texas Tech – 1
- Madden NFL 20: Patrick Mahomes, QB
Louisville – 1
- Madden NFL 21: Lamar Jackson, QB
Wyoming – 1
- Madden NFL 24: Josh Allen, QB
Background/Alternative Madden Cover Athletes by School
Notre Dame – 1
- Madden NFL 94 PAL Version: Ricky Watters, RB
Central State – 1
- Madden NFL 95 Background: Erik Williams, OL
LSU – 1
- Madden NFL 95 Background: Karl Wilson, DL
SMU – 1
- Madden NFL 96 Background: Cary Brabham, DB
Boston College – 1
- Madden NFL 96 Background: Gordon Laro, TE
Georgia – 1
- Madden NFL 99 PAL Version: Garrison Hearst, RB
Oklahoma State – 1
- Madden NFL 2000 Background: Barry Sanders, RB
Georgia Tech – 1
- Madden NFL 2000 European PAL Version: Dorsey Levens, RB
College of San Mateo – 1
- Madden NFL 07 Hall of Fame Edition: John Madden
Northwestern – 1
- Madden NFL 08 Spanish Language Version: Luis Castillo, OL
Texas A&M-Kingsville – 1
- Madden NFL 09 Spanish Language Version: Roberto Garza, OL
Chattanooga – 1
- Madden NFL 19 Hall of Fame Edition: Terrell Owens, WR
Saquon Barkley Named Madden 26 Cover Athlete
After rushing for over 2,000 yards, winning a Super Bowl, and generating one of the most viral plays of recent memory, there really was no one more worthy of gracing the Madden 26 cover than Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley.
.@Saquon hurdled his way onto the cover of #Madden26
Coming 8.14.25. Pre-Order Today.
🔗: https://t.co/zm14BbUaJf pic.twitter.com/l1QYWN0b7h
— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) June 2, 2025
While he has dominated the NFL since becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Barkley torched defenses during his collegiate career at Penn State. In just three seasons, he amassed 5,038 yards from scrimmage and 53 total touchdowns (school record).
KEEP READING: Most NFL Draft Picks by School
As you can imagine, with Barkley’s on-field success came the awards:
- Paul Hornung Award (2017)
- Consensus All-American (2017)
- Third-team All-American (2016)
- Two-time Big Ten Most Valuable Player (2016, 2017)
- Two-Time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017)
- Two-Time Big Ten Running Back of the Year (2016, 2017)
- Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year (2017)
- Two-Time First-team All-Big Ten (2016, 2017)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2015)
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