Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has earned one of the NFL’s most recognizable honors: the cover spot on Madden NFL 26. The announcement comes after a historic year in which Barkley shattered the single-season rushing record and helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl title.
What makes the cover especially memorable is its focus on Barkley’s gravity-defying leap over a Jacksonville Jaguars defender—a reverse hurdle that instantly went viral. The unforgettable move has now been immortalized, as EA Sports recreated the moment for the game’s cover art using practical effects, including suspending Barkley with wires.
Adding to his achievements, Barkley has also joined the elite “99 Club,” which features players awarded the highest possible rating in the Madden franchise. He becomes the first offensive player from the Eagles to receive this distinction. In a statement, Barkley called the honor “a dream come true.”
The game is scheduled for release on August 14, 2025, and will be available across several platforms—including the Nintendo Switch 2, marking the series’ first appearance on a Nintendo console in over a decade.
While fans celebrate Barkley’s rise, some have raised the topic of the “Madden Curse”—a long-standing superstition that cover athletes often face setbacks the following season. However, recent stars like Patrick Mahomes have bucked the trend, continuing to perform at elite levels.
With the new season ahead, Barkley’s spotlight only grows brighter. The question now is whether he can carry the momentum into another championship run—and prove that superstition has no place in his story.
