Madden 26 cover features Saquon Barkley's iconic reverse hurdle
The game's cover art will feature Barkley's most iconic play from the 2024 campaign: a 14-yard reception during which he reverse hurdled over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones. The move came after Barkley had already used his patented spin move to avoid another would-be tackler.
SAQUON BARKLEY HURDLE: Eagles RB wows coach, fans with highlight reel play
Below is a look at the "Madden 26" cover, via the team's X (formerly Twitter) account:
Barkley referred to making the cover as a "dream come true" in a post shared to social media.
"It starts with imagination," Barkley said. "Being a kid, having those moments, playing video games and saying, 'Why can't I do it in real life?'"
Barkley will be the second Eagles player to be on the cover of a Madden game. Donovan McNabb was the first to do so for the 2006 iteration of the game.
Barkley will also become the third-ever Eagles player to earn a 99 overall rating - the highest in the game - as the team revealed following the cover announcement. Philadelphia's previous members of the 99 club were safety Brian Dawkins (2004) and kicker David Akers (2006).
Madden cover athletes by year
Madden first put an athlete on the cover in 2001, when Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George was chosen to front the game. Below is a look at all of the people to earn the cover art nod since then.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Premier League club could be kicked out of Europe as UEFA reject proposal
Crystal Palace could miss out on European football as UEFA sticks rigidly to their regulations which could cost the Eagles - who have tried to navigate the multi-club ownership rules Crystal Palace face the prospect of missing out on Europe after UEFA rejected a solution from their owners as they continue to fight the multi-club ownership rules which could cost them next season. The FA Cup winners have earned passage into the Europa League, but concerns over their ownership could see them miss out a maiden season on the continent. Eagles shareholders John Textor and David Blitzer want to put their shares in a blind trust to ensure the club can compete in Europe next season - but UEFA claim their move is too late. Textor is also the majority owner of Lyon, who have qualified for the Europa League along with Palace. Another blow has come in the form of Blitzer's Danish club Brondby qualifying for the Conference League - meaning there is no scope for Palace to drop down into that tournament instead. Palace executives, including Textor and the chairman, Steve Parish, met UEFA officials in Nyon on Tuesday to try to find a solution - but failed to find an agreement, reports The Guardian. Europe's governing body insists they cannot show any leniency with their rules being honoured. The plan to put Textor's shares into a blind trust cannot be considered as he has missed the deadline to do so. UEFA rules state that such ownership changes must take place before 1 March to take effect in time for the following season. Manchester City and Manchester United both used blind trusts to remain compliant with UEFA's multi-club rules last season. Their partner clubs, Girona and Nice, also qualified for the Champions League and Europa League respectively. It was also an issue for Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, who has transferred his shares given his Greek club Olympiacos have qualified for next season's Champions League. Palace's failure to foresee the potential issue now looks set to cost them dear. Back on March 1 when the changes needed to be made the Eagles were sitting in mid-table and hadn't even made the fifth round of the FA Cup - meaning Europe wasn't on their radar. Even then they were not seen as among the favourites for the FA Cup before downing Aston Villa in the semi-finals and then shocking Manchester City in the final with Eberechi Eze scoring the winner. Landing European football was a major coup, but it could be over before it starts. Manager Oliver Glasner said after their Wembley success: 'We said before the game that we wanted to write our own history and we have written a big chapter in our history, and next year we will do that again when we play in Europe."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Actress with a Bradley Cooper connection is unrecognizable in new glam role... can you guess who she is?
This Hollywood star's latest transformation is so good, she's almost impossible to recognize while on set with Nicholas Cage, Christian Bale and Kathryn Hahn. As she transformed into her role as Carol Davis in David O. Russell's upcoming sports drama film Madden, the actress looked straight out of a different era in a glamorous and retro look on Monday. For the role, she sported a voluminous, curly blonde wig, beaded necklaces and a glimmering dress with a 60s inspired print. Her character's wardrobe couldn't be more different from this performer's free-spirited, boho style, which makes identifying her just a bit more challenging. Are you able to recognize this A-lister, whose breakout role was playing Daniel Craig 's love interest in the 2004 film Layer Cake? Hint: Some of her most notable films include Foxcatcher (2014), American Sniper (2014), The Lost City of Z (2016), Live by Night (2016), and American Woman (2018). It's Sienna Miller, of course! This marks the first time she has been seen in character as Carol, who was married to Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis from 1954 until his death in 2011. Rumors that she was in talks for the role were first reported in April by Deadline. While the Raiders are now in Las Vegas, the team has remained in the Davis family since Al passed. Carol is now 95-years-old and is part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, after inheriting the team from her spouse. Their only child, son Mark Davis, 70, also inherited the organization and is now owner. After the team officially moved to Sin City's Allegiant Stadium, Carol helped christen the venue by lighting the Al Davis Torch Memorial ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders' inaugural game back in 2020. 'There's only one person that can possibly light it, and she's agreed to do it, that's the first lady of the Raider Nation -- my mom,' Mark told ESPN at the time. 'I get chills thinking about it. I get goosebumps thinking about it. Probably tears thinking about it. But there's nobody that could have lit it other than her,' he continued. 'Because it's really a tough time in the country, but also here in Nevada, we don't want to seem that we're celebrating or anything of that nature. But to have my mom light that torch means so much, and I think it will mean a lot for everybody in this valley, so I'm excited.' The biopic boasts an all-star cast, with Cage starring as Madden, Bale playing Al Davis and John Mulaney playing Trip Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts. Previously, Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman were in early negotiations in the role for Madden while Tom Hanks was in discussions for Davis. Principal photography for the film began on April 24, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Slicked-back Christian Bale bats away his Dark Knight image to play NFL great Al Davis in Madden biopic
Christian Bale was more cantankerous coach than caped crusader as he appeared on set this week for his latest film. The actor - famed for his roles in Batman and American Psycho - was seen shooting scenes for the NFL-themed biopic, Madden, in which he will play the late Oakland Raiders owner and manager Al Davis. For the shots, the 51-year-old Hollywood star had balding hair slicked back and wore a leather jacket and white T-shirt. The David O Russell movie boasts an all-star cast, with Nicolas Cage starring as John Madden, the Raiders coach and NFL broadcaster who gave his name to the Madden NFL video game. John Mulaney plays Trip Hawkins, the founder of Electronic Arts, while Sienna Miller plays Madden's wife. Al was the managing general partner, principal owner and de facto general manager of the Raiders for 39 years, from 1972 until his death in 2011. On Monday, Sienna and Kathryn Hahn were spotted for the first time in their elegant retro attire as they got into character. Sienna, 43, was particularly glammed up with voluminous blonde curls, beaded necklaces and a glimmering dress with a 60s-inspired print. Kathryn - who plays Virginia Madden - was outfitted in over-sized sunglasses, a chic pea coat and striped turtleneck. Sienna is playing Carol Davis, who was married to Oakland Raiders owner Al from 1954 until his death in 2011. While the Raiders are now in Las Vegas, the team has remained in the Davis family since Al died. Carol is now 95 and is part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, after inheriting the team from her spouse. Their only child, son Mark Davis, 70, also inherited the organization and is now owner. After the team officially moved to Sin City's Allegiant Stadium, Carol helped christen the venue by lighting the Al Davis Torch Memorial ahead of the Las Vegas Raider's inaugural game in 2020. 'There's only one person that can possibly light it, and she's agreed to do it, that's the first lady of the Raider Nation - my mom,' Mark told ESPN at the time. 'I get chills thinking about it. I get goosebumps thinking about it. Probably tears thinking about it. But there's nobody that could have lit it other than her. 'Because it's really a tough time in the country, but also here in Nevada, we don't want to seem that we're celebrating or anything of that nature. 'But to have my mom light that torch means so much, and I think it will mean a lot for everybody in this valley, so I'm excited.' Like the Davis couple, Virginia was married to John Madden from 1959 until his death in December 2021. They have two sons. In early 2022, Virginia returned to the RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland to pay tribute to her late husband at One More Monday Night in Oakland: A Celebration of John Madden. 'When John passed, I said, "I want to have a gathering at the coliseum," ' she said. 'I know he's up there and I know he's smiling down on all of his players that are here and all of you people, the fans that supported him for so many years.' A synopsis of the Madden film on IMDb reads: 'After being forced into retirement by the Oakland Raiders, fiery former NFL head coach John Madden teams up with a mild-mannered Harvard programmer to rewrite his fading legacy by building the world's first football video game.'
