Is Justin Jefferson About to be Named Madden 25 Cover Athlete?

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Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) warms up before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

When the Minnesota Vikings made Justin Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, he elevated to a new tier of superstar. Already the best wide receiver in the league, he’s now recognized as arguably the best non-QB too.

Jefferson’s new deal comes two months from the launch of the (second) Madden 25 video game. Is it possible he could parlay that into an appearance on EA Sports’ popular video game? The Madden cover reveal is a yearly spectacle in the sports world and the announcement has been set for June 11th.

Given the excitement he brings across the sport and the national brand he has created, it stands to reason that the Minnesota Vikings Justin Jefferson would be a worthy Madden 25 cover candidate.

Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson fits Madden 25 perfectly

It’s something of a perfect storm for Justin Jefferson and his merits to appear on the cover of Madden 25. One of the most productive wide receivers in NFL history through this stage of his career, he is coming out of an offseason where much of the talk has been about his payday. Having recently been met with a Brinks truck, everything coming to fruition on that front is exciting.

Although the Minnesota Vikings aren’t projected to be good during the 2024 season, there should be plenty of hype surrounding Jefferson and his teammates. Sam Darnold is a placeholder for eventual rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to take over. The franchise will play a game in London against the New York Jets. Minnesota also recently unveiled their Winter Warrior uniforms and they have been heavily praised as a well-done alternate.

If EA Sports is looking for a perfect marketing storm, Justin Jefferson probably embodies it. And that’s why there are a lot of people who see J.J. as a top possibility when the cover is revealed on Tuesday.

Related: Justin Jefferson Took Anti-Diva Route to New Contract and it Paid Dividends

Who will be on the Madden 25 cover?

If EA Sports is going to go away from Jefferson, then a couple of prominent quarterbacks rise to the top. Lamar Jackson is coming off an MVP season and Patrick Mahomes won yet another Super Bowl.

The caveat that applies to both though, is that each has previously been featured on the cover and would be a rehashing of those iterations. Mahomes has already been on the cover twice.

The running back position isn’t what it was when Shaun Alexander or, yes Peyton Hillis, graced the Madden cover, so those types of players would seem to be out, though Christian McCaffrey might give them a chance.

The other two players who seem to be getting a lot of hype include Jefferson’s college teammates, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, but it’s hard to see Chase getting it over Jefferson. Burrow, however, might be his biggest competitor.

Related: Vikings O-Line Dresses Up for Justin Jefferson Day with Short Shorts and Lots of Drip

If there’s a perfect storm to believe Jefferson could be the choice, then this is the time. Even though he missed action a season ago, he returned and still put up video game numbers in limited exposure.

A Minnesota Vikings player hasn’t been the sole Madden cover athlete since Daunte Culpepper was chosen for Madden 2002. Adrian Peterson was on the cover of the other Madden 25 (2014), but so was Barry Sanders. It’s time for that to change.

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