Michael Phelps’s SI Covers

Here are all 12 Sports Illustrated covers for Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time—capturing a record 23 golds and 28 overall medals in four Olympics.

Michael Phelps on SI's Cover

August 2, 2004

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Michael Phelps strove for eight golds in Greece, he settled for six golds and two bronze.

August 23, 2004

Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

Getting along swimmingly, Michael Phelps's successes continue to ring true with each broken record dating back to Athens.

February 3, 2005

Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

In between Olympiads, Maryland native Michael Phelps was a big fish in the University of Michigan's pond.

July 28, 2008

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Seeking closure to his goal for eight golds, Michael Phelps emerged as the face of the Beijing Olympics prior to the opening ceremonies.

August 18, 2008

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Michael Phelps got his feet and swimsuit wet before winning his first three events in Beijing, including the men's 4 x100 freestyle relay.

August 25, 2008

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

With eight gold medals hanging from his neck, Michael Phelps posed for SI's exclusive cover portrait after completing his Beijing swim through history.

December 8, 2008

Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

Michael Phelps graced the cover for the seventh time after he was named the 2008 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.

December 31, 2012

Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated

After a voting campaign that reached millions of sports fans across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the fans had spoken. Michael Phelps's performance at the 2012 London Games was Sports Illustrated’s 2012 Moment of The Year.

November 5, 2015

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

A year earlier the best swimmer in Olympic history was lost. Now, after coming to terms with himself, the best might lie ahead for Michael Phelps.

July 25-August 1, 2016

Michael LeBrecht II/Sports Illustrated (Durant); Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated (Ledecky); Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated (Biles; Felix; Eaton); Robert Beck /Sports Illustrated(Phelps); Ben Van Hook/Sports Illustrated (Morgan)

For six weeks, from the opening of the Rio Olympics to the closing of the Paralympics Games, a band of men and women represented one country with one common goal: GOLD.

August 22, 2016

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Michael Phelps shares the cover (again) with Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles. This time, they pose with their Rio Olympic medals—Michael Phelps (six), Katie Ledecky (five) and Simone Biles (three, though she would add once more at these Games).

December 29, 2016

Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

The best sports year ever goes out on top. Just like the greatest Olympian of all time.