By Hannah Vore, Journalist Intern
Published June 12, 2026
Madden Covers
EA Sports announced the Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 27” on June 3. He is the first Bears player to ever be featured on a Madden cover.
The standard edition cover features Williams’ jump pass with the Chicago skyline in the background. This play occurred in the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers when Williams threw the ball to wide receiver Rome Odunze on fourth and eight.
This cover also acts as a tribute to Michael Jordan, who is widely regarded as the greatest player in NBA history. The cover slightly resembles the original 1985 Air Jordan campaign poster, which showed Jordan midair in his Jumpman pose, over the Chicago skyscrapers.
“… Paying respect to that and him and what he was able to do in Chicago. Just honestly wanted to bring that energy, that vibe back,” Williams said at the EA Sports season-opening event June 4.
Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls for 14 seasons and won six championships with them. Williams hopes to accomplish something similar with the Bears.
“When you have this pose above the Chicago skyline on the cover of “Madden” that is certainly evoking the spirit of the greatest athlete there, Michael Jordan, that puts so much pressure on you to deliver,” Michelle Smallmon said on ESPN’s “Unsportsmanlike.”
The Deluxe edition cover is a close-up of Williams’ “Iceman” celebration with snow falling around him. This celebration also occurred in the playoff game against the Packers after a touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Moore to beat the Packers.
Madden Curse
Although exciting for the young quarterback, the “Madden Curse” could be looming over him. The superstition suggests that players featured on a Madden cover will experience a decline in performance or suffer a major injury during the following season.
Despite this superstition, Williams is coming off a strong season in his young career. The Bears finished the 2025 season ranked No. 6 in total offense in the NFL, according to ESPN.
Williams' Statistics
The 24-year-old quarterback was the first overall pick, selected by the Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft. He won the 2022 Heisman Trophy during his sophomore season at USC and also received the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award.
Williams has an 89.0 passer rating with 7,483 passing yards and 47 touchdowns in just the first two years of his NFL career. According to Pro Football Reference, he has a 1.2% career interception rate, the lowest among NFL quarterbacks. He will be entering his third NFL season with the Bears.
“Madden NFL 27” is set to release on Aug. 13.
