It feels like forever ago that Patrick Mahomes was just a high-upside kid with a rocket arm and a No. 15 jersey that hadn't quite taken over the world yet. But in 2019, fresh off a 50-touchdown season, EA Sports made it official. They put him on the front of the box. The Patrick Mahomes Madden cover wasn't just a marketing win; it was a cultural coronation.
He didn't just appear once, either.
Mahomes actually pulled off something few ever do by landing the cover twice in three years. First, he went solo for Madden NFL 20. Then, he shared the spotlight with Tom Brady for Madden NFL 22. If you're a gamer or a football nut, you know that being on that cover is basically the "Sports Illustrated Jinx" of the digital age. People freak out about it. They call it the Madden Curse.
Honestly, the way Mahomes handled it tells you everything you need to know about why he’s currently chasing G.O.A.T. status.
The Madden 20 Breakthrough
When Mahomes was announced for the Madden 20 cover in April 2019, the internet immediately started mourning his knees. It sounds dramatic, but look at the history. Garrison Hearst broke his ankle. Michael Vick broke his leg. Daunte Culpepper's career basically fell off a cliff.
Mahomes didn't care. He grew up playing the game with his dad. To him, it was a "dream come true" moment rather than a death sentence for his stats.
And for a second there, the haters looked right.
In Week 7 of that 2019 season, Mahomes went down against the Denver Broncos. It was a quarterback sneak—a play he’s barely run since—and his kneecap literally shifted out of place. The collective gasp from Kansas City could be heard from space. If there was ever a "Madden Curse" moment, that was it. A dislocated patella usually ends a season, or at least ruins it.
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He missed two games. That’s it.
He came back, threw for 4,031 yards in the regular season, and then proceeded to tear through the playoffs. He didn't just survive the cover year; he won Super Bowl LIV and took home the MVP trophy. Basically, he looked at the curse and laughed.
Double Trouble: Sharing the Madden 22 Spotlight
Most players get their one shot and move on. Not this guy. By the time Madden NFL 22 rolled around, EA Sports realized they had a unique problem. They had the aging legend in Tom Brady and the relentless force of nature in Mahomes.
So, they put them both on it.
This was only the second time in the franchise's history that they used a dual-athlete cover. The first was Madden 10 with Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu. The Madden 22 cover was basically a "Passing of the Torch" vibe, even though Brady wasn't exactly ready to stop winning yet.
Think about the pressure of that. You’re sharing a cover with a guy who has seven rings.
Why the 2022 Cover Was Different
- The GOAT vs. The Kid: It focused on the rivalry after Super Bowl LV.
- The Technology: This was the "Dynamic Gameday" era, where EA used Next Gen Stats to make the AI play more like the actual players.
- The Narrative: It was less about who was the best "right now" and more about the two pillars of the NFL.
For Mahomes, the 2021-2022 season (the year of the cover) saw him throw for 4,839 yards and 37 touchdowns. They made it to the AFC Championship game. If that's a "curse," most quarterbacks in the league would sign up for it in a heartbeat.
Did He Actually Kill the Curse?
Kinda. Sorta.
If you look at the guys who came after him, the results are mixed. Lamar Jackson (Madden 21) had a solid year but dealt with some late-season struggles and a playoff exit. Christian McCaffrey (Madden 25) had a monster season but then dealt with the typical wear and tear that elite backs face.
But Mahomes is the outlier. He’s the only player to win a Super Bowl in the same season he was featured on the cover solo.
There’s a nuance here that people miss, though. The "curse" is usually just a regression to the mean. To get on the cover, you have to have a career-defining, statistically insane year. Staying at that peak is statistically impossible for almost everyone.
Except maybe Mahomes.
His 2019 season saw a slight dip in passing yards compared to his 5,000-yard breakout, but his efficiency remained through the roof. The real story isn't that he was cursed; it's that he was so good he made a dislocated kneecap look like a minor inconvenience.
Beyond the Box Art: Gameplay Impact
When Mahomes hit the cover, EA Sports introduced "X-Factor" abilities. This changed the game. Mahomes had "Bazooka," which increased his maximum throw distance by 15-plus yards when he was "in the zone."
It was the first time the game felt like it was specifically designed to handle a player who could throw cross-body, 60-yard bombs while falling over.
You’ve probably noticed that since his first cover, the game has leaned heavily into "Star-Driven AI." This was a direct result of trying to figure out how to program a guy who doesn't play by the rules of traditional pocket passing. They had to rebuild the logic of the game just to keep up with his real-life highlights.
Tracking the Mahomes Madden Legacy
- Madden 20: Solo cover, Super Bowl win, broken kneecap, 4,000+ yards.
- Madden 21: Replaced by Lamar, but still the highest-rated QB in the game.
- Madden 22: Dual cover with Brady, 4,800+ yards, AFC Title game appearance.
- Madden 24/25/26: Remains a permanent fixture of the "99 Club."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking at the Patrick Mahomes Madden cover from a collector's standpoint, there are a few things to keep in mind. The Madden 20 physical copies are actually holding some decent value, especially the "Superstar Edition." Because he's likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer, these covers are becoming the modern-day equivalent of a rookie card for gamers.
If you’re a player, remember that the "Mahomes Effect" in the game usually means his price in Madden Ultimate Team (MUT) stays high all year. He’s the gold standard for a reason.
To really get the most out of his legacy in the game:
- Check the Animations: Madden 22 and later versions have specific "Mahomes-only" release animations that are faster than standard QBs.
- Look for the Variations: There are different digital covers for the "MVP Edition" versus the standard retail version.
- Watch the 99 Club: Mahomes is one of the few players to consistently hit a 99 overall rating. This isn't just for show; it affects his "awareness" stat, which makes the CPU-controlled version of him much harder to intercept.
The curse might be a fun campfire story for NFL fans, but Patrick Mahomes turned it into a victory lap. Twice.