Bills QB Allen named Madden 24 cover athlete
Published
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the newest EA Sports Madden cover athlete, it was announced Wednesday.
Named after the late Hall of Fame football coach John Madden, John Madden Football was launched in 1988 for the Apple II. The Super Bowl XI-winning Oakland Raiders head coach remained on the cover from 1988-93.
Madden appeared on covers alongside current players until 2001, when Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George became the first solo athlete to grace the cover.
Daunte Culpepper became the first quarterback to grace the cover for the Minnesota Vikings in 2001.
Madden's first dual-cover athlete edition was in 2010, featuring Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame safety Troy Troy Polamalu. The franchise's second dual-athlete cover featured quarterbacks Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In honour of his death on December 28, 2021, Madden was returned to the cover in 2022.
The 2023 edition marks Allen's first appearance on the cover and the first ever by a Bills player and the first to prominently feature fans.
"A childhood dream come true," said Allen on Twitter following the announcement.
Allen, 27, was drafted by the Bills with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of the University of Wyoming.
The former Cowboy appeared in 12 games in his rookie season, completing 169 passes for 2,074 for 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Allen earned his first Pro-Bowl honour in 2020 for his 396 completions for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns. The Firebaugh, Calif., native earned his second last season, completing 359 passes for 4,283 yards and 35 touchdowns.