If the Madden NFL 22 rumors are to be believed, Electronic Arts has already selected the game's cover athlete. However, considering how early it is in the process and the fact that EA hasn't confirmed Derrick Henry is the cover star yet, there's a chance it could be someone else entirely. Henry is a good choice, but he's not the only one out there that would fit.
While there isn't even confirmation that Madden NFL 22 is actually coming this year, it seems as though there's going to be another installment in the long-running series. That's one of the reasons it feels like the rumors of Henry making the cover are true. EA might not have made the announcement, but there's likely to be someone being featured. Running backs have been few and far between when it comes to this honor though, as recent history hints that quarterback is more likely to get the nod.
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Tom Brady has already been on a Madden NFL cover before. However, there's no rule that says an athlete can't do it again. Not only did the the ageless quarterback post one of the better campaigns in the league this year, but what he accomplished in the 2020-21 season has enough of a "story-book" feel to it that Electronic Arts might not be able to resist.
Brady joined a new team this fall after playing his entire career with the New England Patriots. He did this in his age 43 season. Despite a new team and a time in his career most players have already long ago retired, he posted one of the best seasons of his career. After throwing 40 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions and for 4,633 yards, he finished off the campaign by beating another former Madden NFL cover athlete in Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
What better way to celebrate what will almost certainly be a fully next-generation version of Madden NFL 22 than putting one of the next generation of stars on the game's cover? Third-year quarterback Josh Allen just keeps getting better and better. In 2020, he might have just unofficially taken the baton from Brady. Allen's Buffalo Bills won the AFC East, dethroning the Patriots, who had won the division every year since 2008 heading into last year.
Allen threw for 4,534 yards (good for fifth in the NFL) and 37 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions. He was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 421 yards and eight touchdowns. Over the course of his career, he's never rushed for less than 400 yards in a season. Further demonstrating he's part of the younger generation of stars, he's even followed in the footsteps of fellow Madden NFL star Mahomes when it comes to being a gamer.
In the long history of cover athletes for the Madden NFL series, almost all of them have been offensive players. Running backs and quarterbacks have been the most prevalent, with a few wide receivers mixed in. That doesn't mean that a big time defensive star has never made an appearance. It's just incredibly rare. In fact, since 2000, only three defensive players have made the cover of the game. Ray Lewis, Troy Polamalu (who shared the cover with Larry Fitzgerald) and Richard Sherman. The then-Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman was the most recent of the trio.
Aaron Donald could be the fourth defensive star to get the honor. The Los Angeles Rams star is considered one of the most dominant defensive lineman in the history of the game and easily the best of his generation. While his numbers weren't eye popping in the 2020-21 season, he still finished second in the entire league in sacks. Likely the only reason he didn't finish first is because he was routinely double-teamed by blockers and sometimes triple-teamed. There is also an argument for Donald being the first Xbox Series X/S and PS5 cover athlete, as Sherman made the cover for Madden NFL 15. That installment was the first in the franchise for the Xbox One and PS4 generation of gaming.
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Deshaun Watson already has a history with Madden NFL 21 as he was one of the players that made the game's virtual Pro Bowl this past season. However, despite being one of the best signal callers in the game, he still hasn't graced the cover of the game. This year, he led the NFL in passing yards with 4,823 while throwing for 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Like Allen, he's also a double threat as he ran for 444 yards. There are a couple of strikes against Watson's candicacy.
The first is that should Madden NFL 22 arrive with Watson on the cover, it would mark the one of the only times a player from a truly terrible team got the honor. Despite the quarterback's eye popping numbers, the Houston Texans posted just a 4-12 record. The team also fired its coach midway through the season. If Watson got the nod, it would be the first time someone from a losing team made the cover since Calvin Johnson in Madden NFL 13. Johnson's Detroit Lions also posted a 4-12 record the season prior to that installment's release.
When addressing the rumors that Tennessee Titans' star Derrick Henry could beat them all, it's worth noting he's only the seventh NFL running back in league history to rush for 2,000 yards in one season. He's also the first since Adrian Peterson (a former cover athlete) in 2012. Henry ran for 2,027 and 19 touchdowns this past year.
It's also worth noting that whoever finally gets the nod when Electronic Arts announces the chosen star, they'll likely be on the cover for more platforms than ever before. After returning to the PC in recent years as well as Google Stadia this winter, it looks like Madden NFL 22 could be adding the Nintendo Switch to its launch platforms this fall.
Madden NFL 22 has not been announced yet.