Oregon Football Player Injured On EA Sports NCAA 25 Cover?

College football fans are excited for the return of EA Sports' NCAA Football game. However, controversy erupted when a behind-the-scenes video showed an Oregon player on crutches in the cover shoot.

Oregon Green Team defensive back Dakoda Fields intercepts a pass indended for wide receiver Jurrion / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

EUGENE - Excitement continues to build for the upcoming release of EA Sports College Football 25. Over the past few months, student athletes from various football programs around the country have posted an “I'm in the game” graphic to their social medias, confirming their inclusion in the game and letting fans know they can finally play as their favorite college stars.  

Scheduled for a July 19th release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, EA Sports unveiled the Deluxe Edition cover last Friday, featuring an Oregon Ducks player. A behind-the-scenes video shared by ESPN's Adam Rittenberg sparked controversy. The five-second clip showcased three actors in uniforms from Georgia, Florida, and Oregon, with the Oregon player notably using crutches.

Oregon defensive end DJ Johnson celebrates a sack of Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud to end the / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn

“The EA sports NCAA 25 cover shoot also included actors wearing uniforms for Notre dame, Georgia, Alabama, USC, Ohio State, Florida, and Oregon. The duck got to be the injured player in the game”

- Adam Rittenberg via "X"

Fans, particularly Oregon supporters, took to the comments section, expressing their disapproval of the portrayal. One comment even called the depiction "disrespectful" 

Although many Duck supporters expressed their concerns in the comment section about the injured Duck, it turns out the crutches may not have been a prop at all.  

Kase Helmberger, a 2024 Howard Payne University commit claims to be the Oregon actor in the shoot.  

“I'm the injured one broke my foot 3 days before but was still able to attend”

- Kase Helmberger via "X"

On crutches or not, Oregon will be featured in the game. Regardless, fans can be certain the Ducks will be fully represented in the highly anticipated EA Sports College Football 25.