Eagles RB Saquon Barkley's reverse hurdle to grace cover of 'Madden NFL 26'
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's reverse hurdle over Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Jarrian Jones was widely viewed as the top play of the 2024 NFL season. Now, the play will be commemorated in arguably the biggest way possible.
Barkley was named the cover athlete for "Madden NFL 26" by EA Sports on Monday. The cover of the game features Barkley recreating that memorable hurdle. He was also named to the Madden 99 Club, becoming the first Eagles offensive player to earn a 99 overall rating in the video game.
"Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL '99 Club' are both dreams come true," Barkley said in an EA Sports press release. "I'm grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support, and I can't wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26."
Barkley's first season with the Eagles was one for the ages. He won Offensive Player of the Year as he led the league in rushing, going for 2,005 yards. He fell 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson's longstanding regular-season record, missing the chance to break it by sitting in the Eagles' regular-season finale. He also rushed for 13 touchdowns, adding 33 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.
While Barkley didn't break the rushing record in the regular season, he broke the total rushing record in the postseason. He ran for 499 yards in Philadelphia's four playoff games, helping it win its second Super Bowl. Barkley's 2,504 total rushing yards for the season broke the record Pro Football Hall of Famer set in 1998 (2,476 yards).
"Saquon's reverse hurdle was one of the rare, defining moments in NFL history that would have once been described as 'something out of a videogame,'" "Madden NFL" VP, Franchise Strategy & Marketing Evan Dexter said in a news release. "Now, it's a display of the athleticism and creativity of one football's most electrifying athletes. Madden NFL 26 will deliver the most real NFL experience we've ever built so that players can experience more of the unreal moments that Saquon put on display all season long."
Barkley will become the second player in Eagles history to be featured on the cover of "Madden NFL." Longtime Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of "Madden NFL 06."
A full reveal of the game will be made on Wednesday. The game will be released on Aug. 14, with fans being able to pre-order it for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on Tuesday. Fans can also pre-order the game via EA Sports' MVP Bundle, which allows access to the deluxe versions of "Madden NFL 26" and "College Football 26." Users can play both games three days early through the MVP Bundle.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TechCrunch
23 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Jony Ive's LoveFrom helped design Rivian's first electric bike
Lovefrom, the creative firm founded by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive, played a role in the development of Rivian's first electric bike, according to multiple sources who spoke to TechCrunch. For about 18 months, a handful of LoveFrom staff worked alongside Rivian's design team and engineers within a skunkworks program led by Specialized's former chief product and technology officer Chris Yu. LoveFrom's work on the micromobility project ended in fall 2024, according to the sources. LoveFrom and Rivian declined to comment. Rivian's skunkworks program, which eventually grew to a team of about 70 people hailing from Apple, Google, Specialized, Tesla, REI Co-Op, spun out earlier this year with a new name and $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures. The micromobility startup, called Also, has yet to show off its first vehicle designs. In interviews with TechCrunch, Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe (who is on Also's board) and Yu were cagey about what the new company's first vehicle would look like. 'There's a seat, and there's two wheels, there's a screen, and there's a few computers and a battery,' Scaringe said in March. He has also said it will be 'bike-like,' a description confirmed by sources. But both Scaringe and Yu spoke of a much bigger vision for Also, one where it could theoretically tackle almost any imaginable micromobility form factor. The new company is supposed to reveal its first designs at an event later this year. An Also spokesperson declined to comment about its bike or any connection to LoveFrom. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW When the electric 'bike' is revealed, it's possible that Ive's fingerprints will be all over it. Ive is best-known for being the design force behind the iPhone and myriad other Apple products, and most recently, his work with Sam Altman and OpenAI. But his collaboration with Rivian is not his first foray into the transportation industry. The parent company of Ferrari announced in 2021 that Ive's firm would help develop the Italian supercar manufacturer's next-generation vehicles. Ive was also involved with Apple's secretive car project. He was reportedly one of the main proponents for centering Apple's long-running car project around autonomy, whereas other people inside the company pushed for a more traditional electric car. Apple abandoned that project early last year. Sources told TechCrunch that Ive's LoveFrom has acted as a consultant for Rivian in the past, including on the company's redesigned infotainment system and retail, among other areas, according to two former employees with knowledge of the relationship. But its involvement in what would become Also was a more structured and dedicated effort, another source familiar with the relationship said. The skunkworks program began taking shape in early 2022 with a directive to explore whether Rivian's EV technology could be condensed down into something smaller and more affordable than its electric vans, trucks, and SUVs. Initially, the small team worked with Rivian designers to develop a product that could scale to different types of vehicles. A key design challenge was how to make the bike-like product modular while still maintaining the elevated aesthetics Rivian has become known for. By the time LoveFrom got involved in the project in early 2023, a lot of work had been completed, according to sources who said they helped refine the prototypes. The relationship was described as a 'pretty tight' collaboration between the skunkworks team, LoveFrom's staff, and the industrial designers based out of Rivian's headquarters in Irvine. This group looked at everything including the user interface and UX for the bike. The industrial design team at LoveFrom, which has a lot of experience with thoughtful and clever packaging, was particularly involved, according to one source, who noted the team brought an interdisciplinary and international perspective to the project.
Associated Press
26 minutes ago
- Associated Press
LHP Tyler Alexander clears waivers and becomes free agent after Brewers designate him for assignment
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander, who got designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers this week, has elected free agency after clearing waivers. Alexander, 30, had been designated for assignment on Sunday. Alexander had a 3-5 record with a 6.19 ERA and one save for the Brewers this season while making 21 appearances, including four starts. He had 30 strikeouts and 12 walks over 36 1/3 innings. He posted a 9.24 ERA in the month of May. Alexander is 20-33 with a 4.67 ERA in 164 career major league appearances. He pitched for the Detroit Tigers from 2019-23 and for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024 before joining the Brewers this season. ___ AP MLB:
Forbes
26 minutes ago
- Forbes
Apple Loop: iPhone 17 Air Questions, F1 Reviews, WWDC Expectations, iPad Pro Details
Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines from Apple, including iPhone 17 display questions, WWDC schedule, iPad Pro details, new WWDC hardware, iOS 26 updates, and the first F1 film reviews. Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes. A flurry of discussion over the upcoming iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air displays started this week. The consensus has been that Apple will finally introduce its ProMotion technology to the base iPhone models, which would allow a variable refresh rate from 120 Hz down to 1Hz. That now looks to be in some doubt. Why would a decision not to introduce ProMotion be an issue? "Well, a bump up to 120Hz would give that smooth scrolling effect, so this is still definitely a step forward. However, ProMotion has a dynamic refresh rate, meaning the iPhone's battery life can be preserved when there's static content on the display, for instance, and the refresh rate is dialed right down to 1Hz. It's this capability which also enables the always-on display that's such a crowd-pleaser on the iPhone 16 Pro and other Pro models, for instance." (Forbes). Next week, we will see the annual Worldwide Developer Conference. Held at Apple's campus, the keynote session will be streamed on multiple platforms. Tim Cook will lead his executive team in a high-level look at Apple's plans for the following year. Forbes' contributor David Phelan looks at the broadcast details and what to expect. "If you're planning to tune in to Apple's World Wide Developers Conference for its keynote next week, you need to know when it's happening and how you can see it. Apple just launched a page on its YouTube channel so you don't miss a thing. Expected are details of new software for the iPhone (iOS 26, not iOS 19, as you might have thought), iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro." (Forbes). One of the expectations at WWDC is he next-generation of Apple Silicon. The M series has typically been used in the Mac platform, but also appears in the iPad Pro form factor. Last year, the iPad Pro debuted the M4 chipset nearly six months ahead of the Mac. The same looks set to happen with the M5, supported by an update to iPadOS to bring it more desktop-like features: "These changes should make the iPad a far more capable 'computer,' for users who want that. But like Apple's previous iPadOS upgrades, the company will undoubtedly still preserve the tablet's simple, one-app-at-a-time UI for users who prefer it. In other words, the iPad's versatility—serving both as a excellent tablet and capable laptop replacement—will be highlighted." (9to5Mac). It's been many years since new hardware debuted at WWDC, so it's unlikely that the M5 iPad Pro will be presented next week. In fact, there's almost nothing in the on deck circle for Tim Cook to pull a One More Things… except perhaps an AirTag? "WWDC is always focused on software, but there are hardware announcements at the conference in some years. Most recently, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro and updated three Mac models at WWDC 2023. In 2024, however, it was a software-only affair." (MacRumors). The modern WWDC is built around Apple's annual update cycle. And at some point, hardware is no longer supported. While many are dropping off thi list this year, it's worth noting that those in the relegation zone may not be getting the full upgrade; '...as happens often from year to year, Apple may technically support a device while still withholding new features from it. For example, many iPhones support iOS 18, but only a handful are compatible with Apple Intelligence. As a result, a whole host of iOS 18's most powerful features aren't actually available on the majority of devices that can run iOS 18." (9to5Mac). The newly renumbered iOS 26 will be the key software update at WWDC. Much of the update is expected to be built around a new user interface to bring all Apple's operating systems closer together in look and operation. How Apple addresses its lack of AI progress since WWC 2024 will also be a notable talking point. As for apps, there are going to be some significant changes in the smaller more specific apps: "And while much of the spotlight will probably shine on the visual overhaul, 9to5Mac has learned that Apple has also been quietly preparing a handful of enhancements to everyday apps like Messages, Music, Notes, and even CarPlay. Some of which could be announced as early as next week." (9to5Mac via Forbes). It's not just a big week for software, it's also a big week for Apple TV as its most ambitious film release arrives. The first reviews of F1—the imaginatively titled movie built around a fictional Formula 1 team—are in. Variety's Zack Sharf gathers up the critics thoughts: "#F1TheMovie is so freaking good. It has all the adrenaline, heart, pacing, story and character that completely fleshes out this movie into excellence. I can only imagine how much MORE I would love this movie if I was a fan of F1 racing! Maybe I am now?" (Via Variety) Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future. Last week's Apple Loop can be read here, or this week's edition of Loop's sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
