Mad at Madden: Eagles' Jalen Hurts Disrespected By Video Game Cover Snub?
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A quarterback indeed was unveiled on the cover of the Madden 24 video game Wednesday morning. But it wasn't the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts.
EA Sports announced that Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is getting the honor. Allen's reaction? The honor is “a childhood dream come true,” he said via social media.
Allen is the first Bills player to ever be on the cover of Madden. Among active quarterbacks, he joins Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs (2020, 2022) and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens (2021) as those who have been on the cover of the sport's most popular video game.
Along with finishing the job and winning a Super Bowl, will Allen getting the nod over Hurts provide the Eagles with even more motivation this season?
Since Mahomes graced the Madden cover two of the last four years, the consensus was that it would be another player. Likely a different quarterback. Hurts seemed to have a good chance, based on a resume that's equal to or even better than Allen's.
For one, Allen has never been to a Super Bowl.
Also, Hurts finished second to Mahomes in both Super Bowl LVII and MVP. Last season he threw for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns with only six interceptions, while running for another 760 yards and 13 scores.
Dare we say, Madden statistics?
Maybe the folks at Madden thought Hurts' record-breaking contract was enough reward for one offseason.
Allen follows the late John Madden - the Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster that the game was named after - who was on the cover of last year's edition after his passing away late in 2021. The first game of the series was produced in 1988, and Madden was on the cover every year from the innagural edition through Madden 2000. Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George became the first player to be on the cover of the game in 2001.
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