by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
June 4, 2025
The running back becomes the first Eagle to grace the cover of the game in 20 years
NFL champion Saquan Barkley has extended his great year after being named the cover athlete for Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 26.
According to the company behind the popular sports game, the Philadelphia Eagles running back covers the latest EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL 26. By featuring the explosive Barkley, he becomes the first Eagle to grace the cover of the game in 20 years. The game is scheduled to be released Aug. 14 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via the EA app for Windows, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
The former New York Giant player was also inducted as the first member of the Madden NFL 26 ‘99 Club.’
.@Saquon hurdled his way onto the cover of #Madden26
Coming 8.14.25. Pre-Order Today.
🔗: https://t.co/zm14BbUaJf pic.twitter.com/l1QYWN0b7h
— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) June 2, 2025
“Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL ‘99 Club are both dreams come true,” said Barkley in a written statement. “I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support, and I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.”
Barkley appears on two different covers, one showing the reverse hurdle from one of the regular-season games last year.
“Saquon’s reverse hurdle was one of the rare, defining moments in NFL history that would have once been described as ‘something out of a videogame,’” said Evan Dexter, VP, Franchise Strategy & Marketing, EA SPORTS Madden NFL. “Now, it’s a display of the athleticism and creativity of one football’s most electrifying athletes. Madden NFL 26 will deliver the most realistic NFL experience we’ve ever built, so players can experience more of the unreal moments that Saquon put on display all season long. The full reveal is this Wednesday – don’t miss what’s next.”
People interested in details about the latest iteration of the game can head to the official website and/or check them out on the various social channels (Instagram, X, Tiktok, YouTube).
Barkley joined the Eagles after leaving the Giants in free agency last season. The team gave him a contract extension worth $41.2 million, with $36 million guaranteed, contingent upon the Eagles winning the Super Bowl this year. The deal also includes $15 million in incentives.
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