John Madden says he doesn't believe in Madden curse

Video game icon John Madden says he doesn't believe in the Madden curse. Lions receiver Calvin Johnson is on the cover of this year's version of the video game. (Chris Chambers/Getty Images)

Hall of Fame coach and video game icon John Madden stopped by the Detroit Lions practice on Thursday to see, among other things, 2013 Madden cover boy wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

When it comes to the so-called Madden curse (injuries that happen to players the year they are on the cover of the video game), Madden said he simply doesn't believe in it.

“I was on the cover for several years, and I never once even pulled a hamstring,” Madden told the Detroit Free Press. “It’s a violent sport. Injuries are going to happen.”

The popular video game, which was first released in 1988, will hit stores August 28.

“If there was such a thing (as a curse), you couldn’t ask for a better man to prove that wrong than who we’ve got this year,” Madden said about Johnson. “He might be as close to indestructible as we’ve ever had on the cover. Maybe I shouldn’t say that...that might…I’m not going to talk about that any more.”