Former Louisville QB Lamar Jackson named Madden NFL 21 cover athlete
Former University of Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson will be the cover athlete of Madden NFL 21, according to Baltimore Ravens Editorial Director Ryan Mink. Jackson himself also confirmed the news in a video on the Ravens' Twitter page.
"It's always been dream of mine since I was a little kid playing Madden," Jackson said in a separate video. "It's dope. I've had every Madden, so for me to be on the front of it, it's a dream come true. That's an accomplishment for the kids around here where I'm from."
He's also not afraid of the legendary "Madden Curse", where gracing the cover of the annual NFL video game has typically spelled doom for said player in the past.
"I'm not worried," he said." Patrick Mahomes was on the front [of Madden NFL 20] and he won [Super Bowl] MVP. I want that curse. I hope that's a curse."
Baltimore selected Jackson with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Since becoming a full time starter, he has revitalized the organization. He led the team to the playoffs for the first time in four years during the 2018 season, and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2019.
Jackson is without a doubt the most decorated player in Louisville Football history. He set numerous records during his three year tenure with the Cardinals, finishing his collegiate career with 9,043 yards passing, 4,132 yards rushing and 119 total touchdowns. He became the school's first ever Heisman Trophy winner after accumulating 5,114 total yards and 51 total touchdowns in 2016.
EA Sports has yet to confirm that Jackson will indeed be the cover athlete of Madden NFL 21, although this tweet from the official Madden NFL account seems to indicate that this is the case.
Madden NFL 21 does not yet have a release date, though typically the annual title releases in early August.
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