EA Sports "Madden" logo. The "Madden NFL 25" video game is being released this summer.EA Sports “Madden” logo (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Sports fans are convinced that they have discovered the identity of the cover athlete for the upcoming “Madden NFL 25” video game.

On Friday, the EA Sports “Madden NFL” X/Twitter account announced that the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 25” will be released on Tuesday. They shared an 11-second video with a male voice saying, “EA Sports, it’s in the game.”

 

EA Sports aimed to keep the identity of the “Madden NFL 25” cover athlete a secret in this video, but social media is convinced that it’s Cincinnati Bengals superstar quarterback Joe Burrow:

 

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen graced the cover of “Madden NFL 24” last year, so he’s not going to be the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 25.” The late John Madden, whom the franchise was named after, was on the cover for the 2023 installment. The Pro Football Hall of Famer passed away in Dec. 2021 at the age of 85.

For “Madden NFL 2022”, then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes shared the cover for what was dubbed the “MVP edition.” Could the three-time Super Bowl champion grace the cover himself for “Madden NFL 25”? We’ll find out in three days.

Plenty Of Candidates For “Madden NFL 25” Cover Athlete

If EA Sports decides they want to go with an NFL player who hasn’t yet appeared on the Madden cover, they have a long list of superstars to choose from.

Surprisingly, New York Jets QB and former Green Bay Packer Aaron Rodgers has yet to be on the video game cover. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker TJ Watt are also compelling options.

Other intriguing options include Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

VIDEO: Texans QB CJ Stroud Didn’t Hold Back While Taking A Brutal Shot At The Dallas Cowboys In Front Of Micah Parsons

CJ Stroud talking on TikTok video.CJ Stroud @_MLFootball
Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud just bought himself a lot more points from the (many) football fans who loathe the Dallas Cowboys.

CJ Stroud won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 after leading the Houston Texans to 10 wins and a surprise AFC South division crown. They defeated the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round before falling to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.

And Stroud has earned more popularity league-wide by savagely roasting the most despised team in football. In a TikTok video that has since gone viral, Stroud caused an uproar of laughter by stating, “I don’t play for the weak a*s Cowboys).

Here’s the extra juicy part: CJ Stroud and his Texans will visit those very Dallas Cowboys on ESPN “Monday Night Football” in Week 11 on Nov. 18. That will be the last of three straight prime time games for the Texans, who have a Halloween Thursday nighter against the New York Jets and a Sunday nighter a week later against the Detroit Lions.

The Texans and Cowboys last met in 2022, with Dallas barely squeaking out a 27-23 victory at home against a Houston team that had one win at the time. The last three meetings have been decided by a single score.

CJ Stroud & Texans Open Season At Colts

CJ Stroud and the Texans will be challenged early when they visit the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts to open their season on Sept. 8 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Houston narrowly outlasted Indianapolis in a win-or-go-home Week 18 showdown last year to secure a playoff berth. The Texans then claimed the AFC South when the Jacksonville Jaguars were stunned by the lowly Tennessee Titans.

Houston and Indianapolis split the two-game season series last year. Their season series will conclude in Week 8 on Oct. 27, when Anthony Richardson and the Colts meet the Texans at NRG Stadium.