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Troy Polamalu [left] and Larry Fitzgerald on the cover of Madden 2010 -
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Will the Madden curse strike again this season?
Madden NFL is one of the most celebrated and longest running video games around.
It has been a hit on almost every platform in history and has reached dizzying heights on PS3 and X-Box 360.
With each year's new edition featuring one of the NFL's elite performers, gracing the cover has become a great honour.
But with that honour comes a great burden to bear.
You see, over the past 10 years the players on Madden's cover have seen their careers peculiarly affected.
With Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu both on this year's cover, will we see the curse continue?
It all started in 1999 when San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst became the first player to appear on the game after John Madden himself.
That year, Hearst's season ended prematurely when he badly broke his ankle in the playoffs. He never regained his brilliance.
The following year Detroit Lions immortal Barry Sanders made an appearance, only to retire before the season even started. EA Games quickly substituted the cover for Green Bay's Dorsey Levens - but his name was almost immediately forgotten.
In 2001 Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George and 2002 Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper both saw their All-Star careers turn to dust the following year.
Atlanta's superstar Michael Vick made it in 2004, and we all know life hasn't been fun for him. After that Vick began copping criticism for not having the proper passing skills at quarterback, before he served 18 months in prison for running a dog fighting syndicate.
In 2006 Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles stepped up, and was rewarded with a hernia in the opening game of the following season. He played through pain but was not effective and eventually opted for season-ending surgery.
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander saw his output fall to almost nothing after 2007's cover and the Titans' rookie of the year Vince Young found a fixed spot on the bench after Madden 2008.
Last year's game featured Brett Favre (in a Packers jersey) - he's played with two more teams since then.
It seems the curse even taints those that decline its lure.
San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson turned down an offer to be on 2007's cover, but has since endured several long-lasting injuries.
So with two of the top performers from the 2009 Super Bowl featuring this time around, all eyes will be on Fitzgerald and Polamalu to see if they can finally break the curse.
A list of recent Madden covers:
1999 - Garrison Hearst (San Francisco 49ers)
2000 - Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions)/Dorsey Levens (Green Bay
Packers)
2001 - Eddie George (Tennessee Titans)
2002 - Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings)
2003 - Marshall Faulk (St Louis Rams)
2004 - Michael Vick (Atlanta Falcons)
2005 - Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)
2006 - Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles)
2007 - Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks)
2008 - Vince Young (Tennessee Titans)
2009 - Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers)
2010 - Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) and Troy Polamalu
(Pittsburgh Steelers)
