The reveal of Caleb Williams' latest cover was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it quickly turned into a debate across social media as fans criticized EA Sports' decision to feature him.

As EA Sports revealed Caleb Williams as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27, many fans believed Matthew Stafford should have received the honor instead. At the same time, many appreciated the young QB's breakout.

EA Sports had plenty of reasons to select Williams. The QB became the first player in NFL history to appear on the cover after leading Chicago to its first NFC North title since 2018.

He also holds a franchise record with 3,942 passing yards while throwing 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. His signature "Iceman" celebration and marketability have made him one of the NFL's rapidly rising stars.

Matthew Stafford's case for the Madden 27 cover was built on a career that spanned nearly two decades. The No. 1 overall pick in 2009, he has thrown for more than 60,000 passing yards and marked himself as one of the NFL's premier passers.

Whether fans preferred Stafford or not, the discussion shows how significant the Madden cover is.

NFL Fans React Strongly To Caleb Williams' Madden 27 Cover

Since EA Sports announced Caleb Williams as the Madden NFL 27 cover athlete, fans have argued over whether he was the most deserving candidate.

"Ya let’s put Caleb Williams but not Matt Stanford or JSN or Myles Garrett," wrote one fan on X post, showing frustration.

The fan pointed out that experienced and proven veterans such as Matthew Stafford (QB), Myles Garrett (DE), or Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) were stronger options as compared to Williams.

"Why? This is a game that has had Pat Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Mike Vick, Megatron, AB on it, and an All-Proless and Pro Bowless QB is the cover athlete?" commented another fan.

The fan noted that Patrick Mahomes (QB), Lamar Jackson (QB), Michael Vick (QB), Calvin Johnson (WR), and Antonio Brown (WR) were already among the NFL's top players when they appeared on Madden covers, while Williams has yet to earn a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod.

Another fan wrote, "Madden curse is real and Bears fans know it better than anybody. Caleb just had the best season of his career and they put him on the cover right before year 3. Chicago, are yall okay with this?"

The "Madden Curse" is the popular belief that players who appear on the cover of the Madden video game often go on to suffer a major injury or experience a disappointing season the following year.

Another similar comment about the Madden Curse, "Can’t wait to see the cover curse come to life."

One more fan wrote, "LOL. Thank God they went with Caleb’s flash and hype over Drake’s consistency, accuracy and production. Please keep Maye off all future covers as well."

The commentator meant Patriots fans will be glad Drake Maye isn't on the Madden NFL 27 cover. With Caleb Williams getting the honor, some have jokingly labeled the Bears quarterback as the latest target of the "Madden Curse."

However, Williams is on the cover due to his on-field success, growing popularity, and status as one of the NFL's rising stars.

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Written by

Hetal Moleshri

Edited by

Rudra Dubey