Gamertell

This is the first time Electronic Arts’ popular Madden series of football games has had two athletes share the cover. Does that mean both Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu are doomed ? The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive standout has already gotten shelved.

Will Fitz get spared since the Madden cover has already claimed one athlete? Or will it take two NFL superstars to satiate the curse’s eternal hunger?

It’s also worth noting that the Arizona Cardinals wideout is carrying not one but two curses on his considerable shoulders. When the Arizona Cardinals lost the Super Bowl, they picked up another superstition whammy. Since 1997, only two Super Bowl losers have even made the playoffs the following year. Those two teams, the 2006 Seattle Seahawks and 1998 Green Bay Packers had key players get injured.

Longtime Madden players already know where I’m going with this.

The Seattle Seahawks went from super to so-so largely because Shaun Alexander, who graced the cover of Madden 2007, broke a bone in his left foot. Alexander had an amazing 2005 season scoring 28 touchdowns, the single season TD record. The curse hit him harder than most. He slumped to 182 yards gained in his first three games (his lowest career total over a three-game stretch in five years) before breaking the bone in his foot. Alexander was one of the healthiest players in the league before appearing on the game cover. He was eventually released by the Seahawks and is no longer in the league.

So far, Fitzgerald is healthy and has decent but not exceptional statistics, 105 yards and two touchdowns through two games.

Gamertell is pulling for you, Larry (although probably not as hard as EA Sports).

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