We're still months away from the next Madden NFL game, presumably Madden 25, yet we still want to predict the next cover athlete. The 2023-2024 NFL Season saw its fair share of explosive players on both offense and defense. However, only one (maybe two) can grace the cover for the next title. Therefore, we listed a few candidates worthy of a cover spot. Note, that although we refer to the next Madden title as Madden NFL 25, that title has not yet been confirmed by EA Sports.

Who Should Be The Cover Athlete of Madden 25?

Our favorite candidates for the Madden 25 Cover Athlete are Joe Burrow, Christian McCaffrey, and Justin Jefferson. In this list, we tried not to pick former cover athletes, although players like Patrick Mahomes certainly has a shot. And while we would love to see a defensive player grace the cover, the last player to do so was Richard Sherman on Madden 15. Therefore, we wanted to choose players who were both succesful on the field and popular to the general public.

Why Joe Burrow Should be The Madden 25 Cover Athlete

Burrow's 2023 season went worse than expected, as injuries plagued the highest-paid player's season. While backup Jake Browning played respectably in his absence, its clear Who Dey Nation needs their man back. Remember, too, that before last Season, Burrow played in two consecutive AFC Championships. We hope to see him make a major bounce back and in full health this September.

Overall, Burrow definitely seems deserving to be the Madden 25 Cover Athlete. If Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson graced the covers, then so should another one of the AFC's crown QBs. Let's also not forget he owns a 5-1 record against both Mahomes and Allen.

Why Christian McCaffrey Should be The Madden 25 Cover Athlete

We think it's clear the 49ers won the Christian McCaffrey trade. He ended the 2023 season with over 2,000 yards of scrimmage and 21 touchdowns. Brock Purdy had plenty of weapons in the receiving corps, but the 49ers also have one of the best backs in the league to rely on. If he continues to post MVP-level numbers, he definitely deserves a Madden 25 cover spot.

McCaffrey, like Burrow, also had the opportunity of playing in a Super Bowl. Furthermore, he appeared in two consecutive NFC Championship matches, winning the latter of them en route to the Big Game. We don't know how the 49ers will look in 2024, but we do know they have no problems in the backfield.

Why Justin Jefferson Should Be The Madden 25 Cover Athlete

Jefferson and the Vikings suffered some bad luck last year due to injuries. Had he played all year, there was no doubt he'd surpass well over 1,800 yards. In the first three games alone of the 2023 season, Jefferson recorded 150, 159, and 149 yards. However, he and QB Kirk Cousins suffered injuries, the latter missing the rest of the season.

Nevertheless, Jefferson managed to return, recording over 1,000 yards in just nine starts. In 10 games during the 2023 season, he recorded over 80 yards in seven of those contests. That's spectacular, considering the Vikings switched QBs a few times throughout the year. Therefore, like last year, we believe Jefferson deserves a Madden 25 cover spot.

Overall, that wraps up our list of Madden 25 cover athlete candidates. Furthermore, we also listed several honorable mentions who also seem sensible to grace the cover. These players also deserve to be in the conversation for Madden 25 cover athlete.

  • C.J. Stroud

Head Coach DeMeco Ryans helped an organization struggling to recuperate after losing Deshaun Watson. A big part of that help came from rookie sensation C.J. Stroud, who well exceeded expectations. He managed to bring Houston all the way to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, and looks poised to go further in the future.

  • Sauce Gardner

Two First Team All-Pros in his first two years? Sauce Gardner represents a younger generation of players with the skill and popularity to prove himself worthy of a cover spot. While the Jets' offensive woes continued, thanks to Aaron Rodgers' injury, the defense remains a sold unit with several playmakers. Nevertheless, we trust in the elite QB with new coach Jim Harbaugh.

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  • Justin Herbert

There's no shortage of great QBs in the AFC, which includes Chargers' QB Justin Herbert. However, we feel sorry for the follow, who lost Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to free agency. Nevertheless, now he'll need to prove his worth without some of his more popular weapons.

  • T.J. Watt

Although we find it difficult to believe a defensive player will make the cover, there's no shortage of elite players. Therefore, we decided to pick T.J. Watt, given his popularity around the league. He ended the 2023 season as a sack leader once again, the third time in his career. With nearly 100 sacks in seven years, T.J. Watt could be on the verge of making history by the time he retires.

Overall, that includes all our favorite candidates to grace the Madden 25 cover. Again, while we refer to it as Madden 25 now, the truth is the name could be anything. Therefore, keep up to date with the official EA Sports channels to find out.

In other news, feel free to check out the latest on EA College Football 25, which releases in summer this year. With the series set to return, we hope to see a way to connect both series once again.

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