4th & 8. Down by eleven. Five and a half minutes left on the clock. Caleb Williams has the ball in his hands. He' s chased out to the left by Isaiah McDuffie. Fractions of a second from being thrown to the ground, Williams launches a strike to Rome Odunze. The pass is perfectly layered over three Packer defenders. The Bears go on to complete an eighteen point comeback against their division rivals, earning their first playoff victory in fifteen years. 

 

The image of Williams jumping into the air to save the game has come to represent a new era of optimism for Chicago sports fans. Having drawn comparisons to the iconic Michael Jordan ‘Jumpman’ pose, the capture of Williams’ clutch 4th & 8 throw has earned a special place in Chicago sports history and in the hearts of Chicago sports fans. This image is also one that has been recreated to grace the cover of Madden NFL 27. Known by many as the “Iceman” for his incredible clutch performances, Caleb Williams will be the first Bear to be featured on Madden’s cover.

 

Annually, the cover athlete of the new Madden game faces intense scrutiny. In what can be only described as the ‘Madden Curse’, the phenomenon of Madden cover athletes facing severe regression or injury is a very serious consideration. The curse gained traction in the early 2000’s with cover athletes Eddie George, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, Shaun Alexander and Vince Young all facing major injuries or slumps they never recovered from. Other extremes include Barry Sanders - the first Madden cover (Madden 2000), shocking the entire world with his surprise retirement, famously stating “my desire to exit the game is greater than my desire to remain in it.” The season following Peyton Hillis’ time as the cover (Madden NFL 12) was highlighted by a messy contract dispute culminating in Hillis losing his starting job and being cut from the team. Antonio Brown was awarded the cover spot for Madden NFL 19. As the most dominant WR in the NFL, Brown's fall off was spectacular including skipping practices before a win-and-in game with the Steelers, threatening to retire if the NFL didn’t let him wear a banned helmet, nearly getting into a physical altercation with his general manager and most famously walking off midgame, shirtless, ending his stint with the Buccaneers and his career in the NFL. Recent versions have witnessed cover athletes Saquon Barkely, Josh Allen and Christian McCaffery suffer serious injuries or major production declines. The stories are as varied as they are numerous - from slumps to complete implosions, the curse has been tied to the disastrous declines of numerous premier athletes. 

 

In the case of Caleb Williams, he is at a pivotal point in his career. Coming off an historic sophomore campaign where he broke the Bear’s franchise passing record (3,942 yards), led the team to seven last minute comebacks, and beat the hated Packers in the playoffs, it is clear why Williams was chosen to anoint the cover. The accolades and praise also come with higher standards and expectations. Winning the division and breaking the franchise passing record mean Williams is no longer seen as a high-ceiling could-be in his rookie contract. In his third year, Williams will be expected to lead his team on a championship run. To keep Williams in Madden cover shape, the Bears have practiced continuity on the offense. Key players in the receiving and rushing corps have been locked down; RBs Kyle Monongai and D’Andre Swift along with pass-catchers WR Rome Odunze, TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III will help ensure Williams has a reliable cast in year two. Free-agent pick-up C Garrett Bradbury and third-round draft selection WR Zavion Thomas (LSU) patch up the few holes left in the offense from the departures of starters C Drew Dalman (retired) and WR DJ Moore (traded to Buffalo). Ben Johnson and his offensive scheme also offer continuity from the promising 25’ campaign.

 

With the offense virtually identical to last year, Caleb Williams’ success will be completely up to number 18. This third year will be pivotal in Williams’ career. He is positioned to cement his status as a top quarterback in the League, in the same echelon as Jared Allen, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow. But we could also find out that last season was a fluke. Madden cover or not, players facing high expectations often  allow the noise to get the better of them. Throughout his career Williams has faced continual scrutiny.  Be it controversy over his draft selection or the way that he expresses himself, Williams has never revealed  susceptibility to the outside din. 

 

Whether or not the Madden curse claims another victim depends entirely on Williams’ ability to forget expectations and remain true to himself and his style of play.