With the attention of the NFL now firmly turned toward the 2025 season, many fans have been speculating on the potential cover star of this year’s “Madden NFL” video game.
Favorites include Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles pair Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, as well as elite receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
Many of the sport’s most iconic stars have graced the front cover of the game franchise over the years, from Tom Brady to Adrian Peterson.
But with the cover usually featuring just one player each year, plenty of big names have missed out.
Here are five players who have, unbelievably, never made the cut.
*Note: Players weren’t a major feature on the front cover of “Madden NFL” video games until the early 2000s, so stars from before that time haven’t been considered for this list. Defensive players were also left out, as despite the long list of incredible defensive players, it’s incredibly rare for a defensive player to make a “Madden NFL” cover.
Who Are Some Players Who Were Never on a Madden Cover?
Peyton Manning
One of three Hall of Famers on this list, Peyton Manning is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Given that Manning was named league MVP on five separate occasions during his career, it’s shocking that he never made a Madden cover.
Manning is both first and fourth in all-time single-season passing touchdowns (55 and 49). Along with Tom Brady, who has made the cover twice, Manning is also one of only two quarterbacks in history to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises.
Happy birthday to the legendary Peyton Manning! 🎂
Here are the 10 BEST plays of his career. pic.twitter.com/cjqMkjqtKD
— NFL (@NFL)
Weirdly, three of the four quarterbacks who made the cover during the 2000s (Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, Vince Young) did so after Manning led the league in passing touchdowns.
On one of those occasions, he was also named league MVP, while in 2006, he went on to win a Super Bowl. Manning’s second Super Bowl win in 2015 wasn’t enough to beat tight end Rob Gronkowski to the cover, suggesting that it was never going to be on the cards for the legendary quarterback.
Randy Moss
Another player widely considered as one of the greatest to ever do it, Randy Moss, led the league in receiving touchdowns in five different seasons, including his rookie year. The 17 touchdowns he caught as a rookie in 1998 is still an NFL rookie record, and is four ahead of the three players in second.
14 seasons worth of Moss.@RandyMoss' BEST PLAY from every season! (via @NFLThrowback) pic.twitter.com/4lkGMF0uup
— NFL (@NFL)
Moss’s most impressive season came in 2007 when he caught a staggering 23 touchdown passes during his first season with the aforementioned Brady on the New England Patriots. That year, the Patriots stormed to a 16-0 perfect season, adding two more victories in the playoffs before falling to a Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.
Despite his phenomenal season, Moss was overlooked for the front cover of the following year’s game in favor of Brett Favre. That proved an unfortunate decision, as Favre was traded to the New York Jets, making his cover photo out of date before the season had even begun.
Aaron Rodgers
Speaking of the Green Bay Packers trading their quarterback to the Jets, Aaron Rodgers is the next man up. Rodgers is the first of two active players on this list, but it’s fair to say that his Madden cover window has closed.
Rodgers won a Super Bowl and four league MVPs during his time on one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises. Nevertheless, those four MVPs were overlooked in favor of Cavin Johnson (Madden NFL 13), Odell Beckham Jr. (16), Brady and Mahomes (22), two of only three players to feature twice (Barry Sanders). Rodgers’ final MVP season came in 2021, but, understandably, the video game franchise instead honored the legendary John Madden, himself, who passed away during that season.
.@AaronRodgers12: Making the impossible look easy since 2005.
The QB's Top 5 most IMPROBABLE completions 😱⬇️ pic.twitter.com/hFlIeigajA
— NFL (@NFL)
Rodgers will, at some point, become the fourth Hall of Famer on this list, but may yet decide to suit up for another season in 2025.
Kurt Warner
Leader of “the greatest show on turf,” Kurt Warner quarterbacked the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl win in the 1999 season. That year, he led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns and was voted league MVP. But it was Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George who instead made the Madden cover the following season, having been on the losing side of that same Super Bowl.
.@kurt13warner’s 1999 season was magical 🪄
✨ 1st year as starter
✨ 4,353 yards + 41 TDs
✨ NFL MVP
✨ Super Bowl MVP pic.twitter.com/Ho9C0hb9CB— NFL (@NFL)
Warner would have another massive season in 2001, winning his second league MVP, but was again overlooked in favor of a running back. This time, it was Warner’s teammate, Marshall Faulk, who made the cover, after rushing for almost 100 yards per game and leading the league in combined rushing and receiving touchdowns.
Warner had several years of mediocrity during his career, which may make him a surprise name on this list. Warner didn’t enjoy the extended success of a Russell Wilson or Ben Roethlisberger, but he would have been a perfect candidate during those lofty years with the Rams.
Tyreek Hill
Everything about Tyreek Hill’s game suggests that he would be a no-brainer to appear on the front cover of a Madden game. His blazing speed can be unstoppable for opposing defenses, making him one of the most exciting players in the NFL.
Tyreek Hill is a human highlight reel💪 pic.twitter.com/XdfQb4jpwD
— PFF (@PFF)
It’s therefore highly likely that the player’s off-field controversies have led to the game’s creators looking elsewhere. Hill has been the subject of multiple legal disputes, including domestic assault and child abuse.
Hill won a Super Bowl with Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs and has since played for the Miami Dolphins, an incredibly exciting team in an incredibly marketable city. Nevertheless, Hill has yet to feature on the Madden cover, and with the aforementioned Jefferson and Chase also yet to feature, he will likely continue to be overlooked.