There are some game franchises that basically guarantee a new entry every year, and EA Sports' Madden NFL is certainly one of them. A new Madden game has released consistently for decades, and so it's just a matter of time before the company pulls the curtain back on Madden NFL 22. Even so, with Madden games typically releasing in August, it's a bit strange that the next entry in the long-running sports franchise has yet to be revealed.
In fact, Madden NFL 22 has broken a longtime series tradition. EA Sports has never waited this late into the year to properly reveal the new Madden game, yet fans haven't seen much of anything in regards to Madden NFL 22. Fans would at least know Madden NFL 22's cover athlete by now, but EA Sports has given no indication on when that bit of information or anything else about the game will be revealed.
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EA has confirmed that its annual EA Play event will take place on July 22, a month after the E3 2021 festivities that most other companies are participating in, and so perhaps fans can look forward to the big Madden NFL 22 reveal then. In the meantime, though, one would think EA would reveal the cover athlete between now and then, though it's also possible that it may not for whatever reason.
There are various theories floating around as to why EA Sports hasn't revealed the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete, but one conspiracy theory in particular actually makes a great deal of sense. It's possible, though not confirmed in any official capacity, that EA hasn't revealed the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete or the game itself because the person who is going to be on the cover of the game currently has a somewhat ambiguous future in the NFL.
Some fan theories on the Internet posit that the reason why the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete hasn't been revealed is because it's none other than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Whether or not that theory is accurate remains to be seen, but there is some decent logic behind it.
Aaron Rodgers was named the MVP for the 2020 NFL season, the third time in his impressive career. Despite the success Rodgers has had with the Green Bay Packers, including a Super Bowl victory, there are reports that Rodgers is looking to jump ship to another team. Apparently, Rodgers isn't happy with how things have been going with Green Bay recently, with one of the big sticking points reportedly being Green Bay's decision to use its first-round draft pick on another quarterback.
Reports of Rodgers' supposed disillusionment with the Green Bay Packers has led some to theorize that the award-winning quarterback could find himself traded to another NFL team, or maybe leave the NFL entirely. While Rodgers has built an impressive career for himself in the NFL, he also has a direct line to Hollywood. Rodgers is engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, and he himself has made various entertainment appearances over the years.
Besides appearing in various commercials like many other star athletes do, Rodgers has had acting roles in shows like The Office and Key & Peele. More recently, Rodgers appeared in an episode of The Conners, the Roseanne sequel series, where he played himself as the guest host of Jeopardy! Rodgers' actual stint on Jeopardy! was also relatively well-received, to the point where some have theorized that he could eventually become the permanent replacement for previous host Alex Trebek on the long-running game show. Rodgers also made an appearance on Conan O'Brien's "Clueless Gamer" segment where he and the talk show host played Assassin's Creed Origins together.
Despite his success in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers has never been the Madden NFL cover athlete, and that fact combined with him being named MVP yet again has seen him named as one of the most-likely candidates for this year's cover. But Rodgers' uncertain future with the Packers could potentially muddy that situation, and may very well be the explanation as to why fans still don't know who the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete is despite the game's release date most likely being within the next couple of months. If EA Sports doesn't know which team Rodgers will be affiliated with when Madden NFL 22 comes out, it is certainly put in an awkward position when it comes to presenting the game's cover.
Of course, it must be stressed that this Aaron Rodgers situation having an impact on the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete is merely speculation and just one theory as to why the game hasn't been revealed yet. It's entirely possible that EA Sports is keeping Madden NFL 22 secret for now because it's being saved for the EA Play event in July. After all, giving fans their first true look at Madden NFL 22 would likely generate more buzz for the event than if it was just another update for an already-revealed game.
Beyond that, there could be a completely different explanation for the mystery surrounding the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete. EA Sports has already said that it wants to do something different with Madden NFL 22's cover, and maybe that's what's holding things up. Ultimately, until EA Sports decides to reveal more information, all fans can do is speculate as to why they still don't know who the game's cover athlete is.
Madden NFL 22 is in development for unspecified platforms.
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