Friday's P.M. Hot Clicks: Madden NFL Covers Through the Years

Happy National Video Games DayIt's National Video Games Day and what better way to celebrate than with a gallery of 'Madden NFL Covers Through the Years.'

Andy Gray | Sep 12, 2014

Friday's P.M. Hot Clicks: Madden NFL Covers Through the Years /

Happy National Video Games Day

Madden NFL Covers Through the Years

John Madden Football (1988)

The franchise launches on Apple II computers. The same game was improved and released on MS-DOS and Commodore 64/128 computers in 1989.

John Madden Football (1990)

Madden becomes more arcade style and is available on consoles such as Sega Genesis.

John Madden Football `92 (1991)

This is the one where the ambulances come on the field to take away injured players.

John Madden Football `93 (1992)

Go no-huddle and taunt your opponents with this iteration of the series.

Madden NFL `94 (1993)

For the first time, official team names and logos become available in Madden. Season mode also debuts.

Madden NFL 95 (1994)

Real player names are the highlight here. Plus, Madden hits the handheld gaming scene (Game Boy and Game Gear).

Madden NFL 96 (1995)

New features included create-a-player and classic teams.

Madden NFL 97 (1996)

Madden goes hi-rez with this first 32-Bit release on the PlayStation and Saturn game systems.

Madden NFL 98 (1997)

Madden debuts on the Nintendo 64 with stunning visuals.

Madden NFL 99 (1998)

Closet general managers were in heaven when Franchise Mode debuted this year.

Madden NFL 2000 (1999)

On-field celebrations were enhanced for this version.

Madden NFL 2001 (2000)

The first PS2 release for Madden featured player cards that unlocked secret game codes.

Madden NFL 2002 (2001)

Madden hits the GameCube and XBOX platforms for the first time.

Madden NFL 2003 (2002)

Madden hits cyberspace with online play.

Madden NFL 2004 (2003)

This version offers gamers an expanded franchise mode.

Madden NFL 2005 (2004)

Innovations include "Hit Stick" and "Create-A-Fan."

Madden NFL 06 (2005)

Control a player from his rookie year to retirement with Superstar mode.

Madden NFL 07 (2006)

The lead-blocking control proves to be a big hit.

Madden NFL 08 (2007)

Co-op play allows gamers to team up with their friends online to take on human or the CPU.

Madden NFL 09 (2008)

The first version to offer online, league game play, allowing up to 32 players to compete in an online, simulated NFL season.

Madden NFL 10 (2009)

PRO-TAK animation technology allows up to nine man gang tackles and fumble pile-ups to help players "fight for every yard."

Madden NFL 11 (2010)

This version features several new additions to the franchise, such as Online Team Play, Online Scouting and online attribute boosts for co-op play.

Madden NFL 12 (2011)

The release was delayed by two weeks due to the NFL lockout.

Madden NFL 13 (2012)

The first game in the series to have Kinect support as well as a new physics engine promoting real in game physics.

Madden NFL 25 (2013)

Precision Modifier unlocks the power, precision, and creativity of the NFL ball-carrier.

Madden NFL 15 (2014)

Camera-lock behind a selected defender to play the game from the defense's point of view.

Madden NFL 16 (2015)

All-new playmaking tools that highlight the battle for Air Supremacy.

Madden NFL 17 (2016)

New Ball Carrier UI Prompts help teach moves available to you, while the new Path Assist helps you navigate and anticipate down field. The New Defensive AI System is built on up to date NFL Strategies – such as Gap Play, Force Defenders and improved Zone Coverages.

It's National Video Games Day and what better way to celebrate than with a gallery of 'Madden NFL Covers Through the Years.' Spoiler Alert: In 2000, after 11 straight years of having John Madden on the cover, EA Sports realized it was time to start using an actual NFL player in that position. The gallery gets much better after that.

Nerlens Balboa Goes For a Jog

While Joel Embiid gets all the love, another Sixers rookie has a clever way of earning the love of Philadelphians. Nerlens Noel, who I'm calling a rookie because he missed all last year with an injury, is planning to recreate Rocky's famous run through the streets of Philadelphia on Friday. The run will culminate with a sprint to the top of the Art Museum steps, where he'll be joined by over 100 middle schoolers. Gonna fly now!

49ers and Their Cars

Sportsnaut has put together a great collection of 49ers players and their bevy of luxury cars. Let's hope Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (and his 1991 Mazda) never gets relocated to San Francisco.

Lovely Lady Round-Up

Miss California 2013 Mabelynn Capeluj was caught in a L.A. traffic jam last night and did not seem happy about it. She could use a pick-me-up and what better way to do so than to declare her my Friday afternoon LLOD (click here for full-size gallery) ... The 101 hottest celebrity Instagram pics of the week ... The NCAA's 35 hottest cheerleading squads ... If you don't know Daniela Lopez Osorio, check out this GIF. Wowser.

Hot Clicks Giveaway: NFL QB

SI has a new book out paying tribute to the greatest position in sports, the long snapper. Just kidding, it's the quarterback.NFL QB "examines every aspect of this storied position, through original essays, classic prose from the magazine's rich archives and insights from Hall of Fame players, all set against the most striking photographs ever taken on the subject. Every record holder is represented and re-evaluated. The big arms, the elusive scramblers, the two-minute magicians, the crossover cultural stars, even the notorious flameouts, are all showcased." To summarize, it's a pretty badass book. I will send copies to the 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th person who emails me (andy_gray@simail.com) the name of the player with the best hair in college football. The answer is in the "Odds & Ends" section of this morning's Hot Clicks. Please make the subject line "NFL QB."

Update (9:39 p.m.): Contest closed. Winners will be notified. Have a good weekend.

Sorry, Jets Instagram. I'm Picking the Packers.

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Look Who's Hanging Out

Cleveland's two most famous athletes -- LeBron James and Johnny Manziel -- spent some quality time together last night at a private screening of the new Starz TV show Survivor's Remorse, which James helped produce.

Northern Illinois Throws Down the Gauntlet

The full-page ad from Northern Illinois in today’s Chicago Tribune sports section. #NIU pic.twitter.com/0ej6Oe0iUT
— Brian Hamilton (@_Brian_Hamilton) September 12, 2014

Odds & Ends

The 11 least-sportsy items sold at Dick's Sporting Goods ... This guy hid in Nick Saban's bathroom before surprising his girlfriend with a marriage proposal ... Nick Young's toddler is really good at Pop-a-Shot ... Star Wars and the NCAA have teamed up on a new apparel line ... Some new goalie mask designs for the 2014-15 season ... Joakim Noah threw a horrific first pitch at last night's White Sox game ... A Married With Children spinoff is in the works ... There is a mac and cheese restaurant (that's all they sell) now open near the University of Tampa ... A bunch of people are really angry about U2's new album suddenly appearing in their iTunes library. One music industry compared the release to “a rape or a murder, but with even less legs.”

You Don't See This Everyday

Rory McIlroy's tee shot on the 14th hole of the Tour Championships somehow lands in a spectator's pocket.

Hockey Goal of the Day

Former NHL'er Ladislav Nagr, now playing for Bratislava Slovan of the KHL, scores against Ak Bars Kazan. He is really, really fast on skates.

The Original Hail Mary

Eric from Burbank wrote in to give me props for including Doug Flutie's Hail Mary in this morning's Hot Clicks. He also sent along this link of the original Hail Mary, a last-second touchdown pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson during a 1975 Cowboys-Vikings playoff game. When asked about this play after the game, Staubach said. ""I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary."

Life's Been Good

When he's not dumping a bucket of ice water on James Dolan's head, Joe Walsh is a singer-songwriter and guitarist for The Eagles. I've had this song in my head all day. Now you do, too. Have a great weekend!

Click here for previous editions of Hot Clicks and here for Breaking News videos by SI.com.

Published Sep 12, 2014

ANDY GRAY

A senior editor atSI.com, Andy Gray oversees Hot Clicks, Extra Mustard and the Swimsuit site. A Boston sports loyalist and Columbia graduate, he joined SI in 2005.