It didn't take long for Christian McCaffrey to be asked a predictable question after he was announced as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 25.
The San Francisco 49ers running back was confirmed as the face of the game by EA Sports on Tuesday.
As is the case every year, the announcement was followed by talk of the 'Madden curse', which McCaffrey was asked directly about during an appearance on NFL Network's 'The Insiders'.
Over the years several players to have graced the cover have gone on to disappoint in the subsequent season, but McCaffrey is unconcerned about the curse befalling him.
"No I’m not superstitious at all about it," said McCaffrey. "When I got the call I wasn’t thinking about any curse, I was just excited. Whatever happens happens. I’m excited to be on the cover."
Recent history suggests McCaffrey is right not to have any worries, with each of the last five players to have featured on the cover going on to enjoy a strong season in campaigns that ended in the playoffs, making talk of a curse look very tired.
All of that quintet were quarterbacks, however, with McCaffrey the first running back on the cover since Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson were on covers for the 25th anniversary edition in 2013.
McCaffrey recently reset the market at the running back position by signing an extension with the 49ers at an average annual value of $19 million.
The former Carolina Panther said he hoped it would be a step in the right direction for running backs, and he is honored to carry the torch for the position again by being on the Madden cover.
"It means a huge amount, especially at a time when running backs are slighted a little bit," McCaffrey said when asked what it means to be the first back in over a decade on the cover.
"I’m so fired up to be on it and share the cover with some guys like the Barry Sanders of the world, the Marshall Faulks of the world, guys that I used to watch growing up."
