2013 Sports Illustrated Covers

Candlestick Park

The soon-to-be demolished Candlestick Park wasn't much to look at. It could be bone-chillingly cold, and the bay breezes that blew through were anything but soothing. But for those willing to wrap themselves in a blanket and brave the unfriendly aesthetics, the drafty house was a home.

Ricardo Louis and Chris Davis

131230121200-123013-auburn-ricardo-louis-chris-davis-op72-80707cov-single-image-cut.jpg — Todd J. Van Emst/SI

The Auburn Miracles: Two games, two weeks, two spectacular plays -- and too many toilet paper streamers to count. How the Tigers pulled off a pair of epic wins, and the many fans whose lives were changed.

Calvin Johnson

In the debate over whether the latest, greatest wide receiving machine is, in fact, an upgrade over the older model, judgment may very well come down to this question: What can Calvin Johnson do for Detroit in January -- and when will he get the chance?

Ryan White and Jameis Winston

Bill Frakes/SI (Winston) David E. Klutho/SI (White)

After an eventful Championship Saturday, the national title matchup is now set. With Florida State and Auburn preparing to clash in Pasadena on Jan. 6, Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston and Tigers cornerback Ryan White grace the national cover of this week's Sports Illustrated.

Nick Foles

From backup quarterback to Sports Illustrated cover boy. It's been quite a journey for the Eagles' Nick Foles this season. Senior writer Michael Bamberger details Foles' path to stardom, noting how quick Philadelphia has been to embrace the second-year QB.

Auburn

Last Saturday brought one of the most thrilling slates of college football games in recent memory, headlined by Auburn's miraculous 34-28 victory over Alabama. The result added to an already unpredictable 2013 season and suggested that more chaos may be yet to come. Senior writer Andy Staples took stock of all the craziness for the cover story of this week's Sports Illustrated.

Jim Harbaugh

Sports Illustrated senior writer Austin Murphy profiles the 49ers' fiery head coach in this week's issue of SI, detailing the ways in which Harbaugh is "softer" and "saner" than you think.

Ohio State

Last Saturday brought one of the most thrilling slates of college football games in recent memory, headlined by Ohio State's dramatic 42-41 win over Michigan. The result added to an already unpredictable 2013 season and suggested that more chaos may be yet to come. Senior writer Andy Staples took stock of all the craziness for the cover story of this week's Sports Illustrated.

Tony Romo

Why does America hate Tony Romo? That's the question posed by the cover story of this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. The Cowboys' quarterback is rarely included in the discussion of elite QBs. He probably wouldn't even make the top five. But S.L. Price details why Romo "deserves your unconditional love."

AJ McCarron

The tattoo on his chest says it all ? A.J. McCarron is a Bama Boy. Alabama is once again undefeated, and looking to add a third straight national championship trophy to the display case. That's more than enough to land the Crimson Tide's leader, McCarron on the cover of SI. L. Jon Wertheim takes a deep dive in McCarron's life, chronicling how the Tide QB went from trailer parks to unrepentant gunslinger to a turnover-averse game manager.

Russ Smith and Julius Randle

The state of Kentucky is loaded with basketball talent. It's entirely possible that whoever wins the title of Best Team in the State will win the corresponding Best Team in the Nation designation. Defending champ Louisville is led by senior guard Russ Smith, who's flanked by a whole bunch of key returning cogs. On campus some 79 miles away, Kentucky could have seven players picked in the first round of the NBA draft, including freshmen Julius Randle, James Young, and the Harrison twins -- Andrew and Aaron. SI details that and more in this year's preview issue, of which there are four regional covers.

Glenn Robinson III and Gary Harris

After a three-year Final Four "drought" -- things tend to be relative up in East Lansing -- can Michigan State make it back to college basketball's final weekend? The answer to that may lie with Gary Harris, the returning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. In-state rival Michigan doesn't figure to be too shabby either. The Wolverines return three starters -- Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary, and Nik Stauskas -- from last year's years team that came within a half of winning a national championship. See SI's preview issue for more.

Jabari Parker and James Michael McAdoo

Kentucky isn't the only state obsessed with a college basketball rivalry. In case you forgot, they have a pretty good one going down on Tobacco Road too, between Duke and North Carolina.

Wayne Selden Jr. and Marcus Smart

You might have heard about the star freshman playing for Kansas this year. No, not that one. Joining ultra-heralded recruit Andrew Wiggins are Wayne Selden Jr. and Joel Embiid, two other freshmen who also have a good shot at being lottery picks in the upcoming NBA draft. Those three will form a formidable but young core for coach Bill Self. Count Marcus Smart as another player operating under Wiggins' shadow. Smart would've been a high draft pick last year, but chose to return to school for another season. Now, there are rumblings that he might be able to beat out Wiggins as the next number one overall selection. To do that, he'll have to make sure his Oklahoma State team that returns four starters is playing deep into March.

Boston Red Sox

Three members of Boston's Finest are joined on the newest cover of Sports Illustrated by a hero of a different sort, World Series MVP David Ortiz. Big Papi has been a legend in Beantown since helping the Red Sox win their first championship in 86 years back in 2004 but he became even more important to the city this year, as SI senior writer Tom Verducci explains in this week's cover story.

Marcus Mariota

Marcus Mariota has kept the pace of Oregon's Blur offense, despite Chip Kelly's departure for the NFL. When his Ducks take on Stanford Nov. 7, it won't just be a play-in for the Pac-12 title: it will be a clash of styles. Austin Murphy dives into the rivalry to take a look at what makes the two schools so different. SI has one regional cover this week for the World Series.

World Series

The 2013 World Series has already seen two games make history with their endings, already making it one of the most interesting series in history. Senior writer Tom Verducci examines the Cardinals' stable of homegrown fireballers, and introduces some innovative new ideas to improve the game ? including the Bonus At-Bat.

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard owned the NBA offseason, and now it's time to see if he can dominate centers as well as headlines. Houston has emerged as a top contender in the Western Conference, thanks to the Howard-James Harden pairing. Lee Jenkins travels to Hakeem Olajuwon's Texas ranch to find out how the Rockets swayed the free agent Howard and what really goes on at the Dream's legendary post move camps. <italics>SI has four regional covers this week for its NBA preview.</italics>

Stephen Curry

After an incredible playoff run and a marquee offseason acquisition, Stephen Curry's Warriors are poised to become one of the best teams in the West. Chris Ballard checks in with Curry and backcourt-mate Klay Thompson to see how they got to the NBA -- and where they rank among historically great long-range shooters.

Derrick Rose

He's back. Derrick Rose returns to a Chicago team that believes the Eastern Conference crown should be its. But how will the 2011 MVP look after surgery to repair his torn ACL? Jenny Vrentas examines the recent spate of major knee injuries to point guards, and how those stars responded.

Brooklyn Nets

What, you thought they might smile for the cover? This year's Brooklyn team is loaded, and all business. After trading for future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and adding another in new head coach Jason Kidd, the Nets are ready to finally knock off Miami in the East. Chris Mannix takes a look at how the blockbuster trade of the summer went down, and what rookie coach Kidd is doing to prepare his veteran team for a long season.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is known for many things, but vulnerability isn't usually one of them. Lee Jenkins gets Kobe to open up about his rehabilitation process and the uncertainty surrounding the rest of his career. To understand what Bryant's future holds, Jenkins looks to the past, charting Kobe's evolution with moments from his childhood, high school career, and at various stages in his NBA life. Rare Photos of Kobe Bryant

Andrew Wiggins

The eyes of every college basketball fan in the country will be on Andrew Wiggins this season at Kansas. But this isn't the first time a highly-touted basketball recruit has suited up for the Jayhawks. Luke Winn explores how Kansas has lured top hoops recruits over the years, from Wilt Chamberlain to Danny Manning to Wiggins.

Kate, B.J. and Justin Upton

131002091539-100713-si-cover-kate-bj-justin-upton-single-image-cut.jpg — Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Kate Upton, with B.J. and Justin, is the first Swimsuit model to grace the cover of a non-Swimsuit SI. The Braves strike out a lot, have been devastated by injuries, and their highest-paid player had a ridiculously bad debut season in Atlanta, but in October that might not matter. B.J., the older Upton, cops to tinkering unnecessarily with his plate approach, but he refutes the idea that Justin's presence is a burden.

Patrick Kane

It's been 15 years since a team has won back-to-back Stanley Cups, but Patrick Kane's Chicago Blackhawks have a solid shot at achieving that grueling goal in a realigned, revamped NHL that includes a new playoff format, among its many changes and additions (such as four new outdoor games). In his cover story, Hockey Hall of Fame writer Michael Farber examines the league's ongoing effort to boost offense at the expense of goalies by unleashing proficient scorers like Kane. With picks, predictions, power rankings and analysis, SI's 20-page season preview is your guide to the NHL's bold new landscape.

Sidney Crosby

The Pittsburgh Penguins' superstar captain, who graces the regional cover of this week's SI, is healthy again after three injury-marred seasons and a contender for his second Art Ross Trophy. No doubt the league, which is working to give fans more of what they want -- scoring -- won't mind if its marquee star lights the goal lamp as frequently as possible. You can also expect Crosby's rivalry with Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the reigning MVP, will be kicked up a notch now that the Penguins and Capitals inhabit the new Metropolitan Division. Another order of business: Can Crosby's talent-laden Penguins rebound from last season's playoff disappointment and win the second Stanley Cup of his career? That's just one of the questions our experts address in SI's season preview.

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera has been celebrated across baseball all season long and now as his spectacular career winds down, he has earned one more honor: landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the fourth time. In the cover story, Tom Verducci took a different approach when writing about the Yankees' closer, telling the story of Rivera's career in an oral history, talking with several of the pitcher's teammates, coaches and managers from his 24 seasons in professional baseball.

Oklahoma State

The Dirty Game, a Sports Illustrated special investigative report that looks into the transformation of a struggling college football program into a national powerhouse, graces the cover of this issue of SI. The series is the result of a comprehensive 10-month investigation into the Oklahoma State University football program. It includes independent and on-the-record interviews with more than 60 former OSU football players who played from 2001 to '10, as well as current and former OSU football staffers.

Andrew McCutchen

For the first time in 21 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates will finish with at least a .500 record and for the second time this season, their magical summer has landed them on the cover of Sports Illustrated --this time with All-Star centerfielder and MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen getting top billing. In the cover story, SI senior writer Lee Jenkins explores the team's two-decade long streak of futility and its relationship with the city, which has gone bonkers for the Buccos. The team is on pace to reach two million in attendance for just the fifth time and will finish with at least the second-highest attendance total in the 127-year history of the franchise.

Christion Jones

Once again, the Crimson Tide roll into the college football season as the prohibitive BCS favorites. They have a coach, Nick Saban, who is known for getting the most out of his players. They have a roster loaded with future NFL talent and other breakout players, like wide receiver Christion Jones, who scored three touchdown in the Tide's Week 1 victory over Virginia Tech and is featured on the regional cover of this week's SI. In this issue, Lars Anderson reveals how opponents who are smart, willing and armed with the right personnel can take eight simple steps to beat the reigning champs.

Robert Griffin III

130827170227-36covv13-griffinpromo2-single-image-cut.jpg — Al Tielemans/SI

The future of the NFL meets the past on the covers of this week's Sports Illustrated. In 2012, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson took the league by storm. This week's issue of SI features a four-cover regional series comparing each of the young quarterbacks to a past Super Bowl champion, showing ways in which the past could be prologue. Before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs, RGIII terrorized defenses with his unique combination of speed and arm strength. MMQB.com staff writer Jenny Vrentas writes that just because RGIII was "born to run," doesn't mean he can't become an all-time gunslinger like John Elway.

Andrew Luck

The future of the NFL meets the past on the covers of this week's Sports Illustrated. In 2012, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson took the league by storm. This week's issue of SI features a four-cover regional series comparing each of the young quarterbacks to a past Super Bowl champion, showing ways in which the past could be prologue. Last year, Luck set the record for the most passing yards by a rookie in a single season. MMQB.com staff writer Robert Klemko writes that Luck is on a path to become Peyton Manning, the player he took over for in Indianapolis.

Colin Kaepernick

130827170235-36covv16-kaepernickpromo2-single-image-cut.jpg — Cary Edmondson/USA Today Sports

The future of the NFL meets the past on the covers of this week's Sports Illustrated. In 2012, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson took the league by storm. This week's issue of SI features a four-cover regional series comparing each of the young quarterbacks to a past Super Bowl champion, showing ways in which the past could be prologue. Kaepernick transformed the 49ers after taking over for Alex Smith midway through the season, leading them within yards of a Super Bowl title. SI senior writer Austin Murphy details why Kaepernick is the new Steve Young, a Bay Area legend who won three Super Bowls in his career.

Russell Wilson

130827170230-36covv13-wilsonpromo2-single-image-cut.jpg — Robert Beck/SI

The future of the NFL meets the past on the covers of this week's Sports Illustrated. In 2012, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson took the league by storm. This week's issue of SI features a four-cover regional series comparing each of the young quarterbacks to a past Super Bowl champion, showing ways in which the past could be prologue. Height concerns caused Wilson to drop to the Seahawks in the third round of last year's draft. Remind you of anyone? SI senior writer Jim Trotter says that Drew Brees has blazed a path Wilson could easily follow.

Mario Balotelli

130820123304-35covv22-mario-promo-cut-single-image-cut.jpg — Jeffery A. Salter/SI

He's eccentric, unpredictable and immensely talented: Mario Balotelli is a force to be reckoned with, he's just fundamentally misunderstood, writes Grant Wahl in this issue of SI. Balotelli, the international star, graces the cover of Sports Illustrated for the first time as the 23-year old striker begins the new soccer season with A.C. Milan.

Chris Davis

130820123301-35covv11-davis-promo-cut-single-image-cut.jpg — Tom DiPace/SI

Tom Verducci delves into the Ruthian turnaround of Orioles' first baseman Chris Davis in this issue, including the 'how' of a baseball swing, borrowing on more than a century of so-called hitting wisdom, from the old saws of the deadfall era to the advanced biomechanics studies of the modern game.

Alabama's T.J. Yeldon

130814095915-081913-alabama-tj-yeldon-single-image-cut.jpg — Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated

<italics> SI</italics> has six regional covers this week for its College Football preview.

Stanford's Shayne Skov

130814095930-081913-stanford-shayne-skov-single-image-cut.jpg — Cart Edmonson/USA Today Sports

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel

130814095933-081913-texas-a-m-johnny-manziel-single-image-cut.jpg — Mario Cantu/Cal Sport Media

Ohio State's Braxton Miller

130814095918-081913-ohio-state-braxton-miller-single-image-cut.jpg — Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Oregon's Marcus Mariota

130814095921-081913-oregon-marcus-mariota-single-image-cut.jpg — Peter Read Miller for Sports Illustrated

South Carolina's <br> Jadeveon Clowney

130814095927-081913-south-carolina-jadeveon-clowney-single-image-cut.jpg — Gerry Melendez/MCT/zumapress.com

Denver Broncos

130806143243-081213-broncos-thomas-manning-decker-welker-single-image-cut.jpg — Robert Beck/SI

The Broncos have turned a fantasy dream--a QB legend paired with the top pass catcher of the past eight years--into every Lombardi-lusting foe's most frightening reality, according to Chris Ballard in this week's issue.

Aaron Rodgers

The Packers' quarterback has become the heart of a team, the soul of a city and the voice of a state. For most sports fans, A-Rod and Ryan Braun mean one thing. In Wisconsin, that pairing means something else: betrayal, yes, but then understanding, according to Michael Rosenberg in this week's issue.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez was once regarded as the greatest prospect ever for his gifts, work ethic and baseball IQ. Now he faces the consequences of his actions since entering the league. S.L. Price chronicles A-Rod's fall from grace in this week's issue.

Johnny Manziel

Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel has recently come under scrutiny for his conduct off the field. In this week's issue, SI's Andy Staples has an exclusive take on life from Manziel's perspective.

Richard Sherman

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, second in the NFL in 2012 with eight interceptions, is well-known for his trash talk, but in this week's issue of SI, Lee Jenkins chronicles the antics, brains, and skill of the featured columnist of The MMQB.

Jason Grilli

The Pittsburgh Pirates ended the first half of the season with the second-best record in the league at 56-37. Jason Grilli and the "Shark Tank" of a bullpen have had a lot to do with the team's success, which is drawing fans back to the ballpark. Read Ben Reiter's story in this issue of SI to learn more about the Pirates.

Buster Posey

Buster Posey has been at the center of the Giants' success through two World Series victories, and holds together a team of characters. In this issue of SI, Tom Verducci explores the game's most indispensable player.

Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman has been a character since his days in the NBA. This week's double issue takes a look at Rodman's most recent adventures (and recreates a 1995 cover). Dennis Rodman at His Finest (gallery) Where are they now: Dennis Rodman (video)

LeBron James

LeBron James thought his first title would be his most difficult accomplishment, but his second title turned out to be a more arduous test. In this week's issue, Lee Jenkins has an exclusive take on how Miami's repeat took everything LeBron had to give.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup Final in spectacular fashion, scoring the winning goal with 59 seconds to play in Game 6 at Boston. Check out this week's issue of Sports Illustrated to read more about the series.

Frank Hall

The football assistant faced every educator's nightmare: What to do when a student pulls out a gun and starts shooting? Read about a coach's courage in this week's issue of SI.

Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder

130611145809-cover-cabrera-fielder-single-image-cut.jpg — Robert Seale/SI

Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera are a powerful duo, both on the field and at the plate, and they average an iron-like 159 games a season. In this week's issue of SI, Michael Rosenberg breaks down the chemistry between the Tigers' deadly 3--4 combo. Classic photos of Miguel Cabrera

San Antonio Spurs

130604130039-24covv8-rock-okc-promo-single-image-cut.jpg — Robert Seale/SI

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have turned the Spurs into one of the most successful teams of the past decade. This week's issue catches up with the trio as it prepares for another championship run. Classic photos of Tony Parker Classic photos of Tim Duncan

Bruins - Penguins

130604125948-24covv5-sar-egv-promo-single-image-cut.jpg — Gregory Shamus/NHLI/Getty Images

This year the NHL postseason has been riddled with great goals, big hits and some thrilling overtime wins. Steve Rushin explains in this week's issue why nothing can compare to the NHL playoffs.

Blackhawks - Kings

130604130013-24covv5-wdk-mer-promo-single-image-cut.jpg — David E. Klutho/SI

This year the NHL postseason has been riddled with great goals, big hits and some thrilling overtime wins. Steve Rushin explains in this week's issue why nothing can compare to the NHL playoffs.