Christian McCaffrey makes 49ers history as Madden 25 cover athlete

We're still a few months out from the game's release, but the Madden 25 cover athlete has already been unveiled. For the first time ever, the San Francisco 49ers have a player in this elite spotlight. Christian McCaffrey has officially been named the face of Madden 25, and the 49ers running back could be due for one of his biggest seasons yet. Of course, that depends if The Curse™ has anything to say about it.

Christian McCaffrey revealed as Madden 25 cover athlete

Just a few years ago, it was starting to look like Christian McCaffrey was doomed to be the man who couldn't quite carry the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl by himself. After a strong opening season, McCaffrey only got better in 2018 by becoming the Panthers franchise record holder for all-purpose yards in a single season. He followed that up in 2019 by being one of only three players with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 reciving yards in a single season, a record he shares with only Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk.

Unfortunately, it all started falling apart in 2020 when a string of injuries seemed to derail all of McCaffrey's momentum. It didn't help that the Panthers couldn't find their way to the postseason despite the star running back's record breaking performances. After injuries shortened his 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Panthers decided to offload McCaffrey and move on from him.

One team's loss is another's gain, as Christian McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers and immediately became an integral part of one of the most effective teams in the NFL. For the first time since his rookie season, McCaffrey found his way to the playoffs with the San Francisco 49ers.

While Christian McCaffrey doesn't quite have his Super Bowl ring, he's now got two division championships and a conference championship on his resume. Tack on the honor of being Madden 25 cover athlete, and the only thing left is the ring he'll be looking to take back to San Francisco this season.

The Madden Curse™ is always a threat among some fans, but it's a fear that has been pretty roundly dispelled in recent years. Most notably, Madden 20 cover athlete Patrick Mahomes went on to win the Super Bowl. Can Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers be the final nail in The Curse™'s coffin?