Madden NFL (Franchise)

Madden NFL

FRANCHISE »

The best selling NFL-based franchise.

Overview

First published in 1988, the Madden franchise gradually became the top selling and highest rated football-based videogame available.

Licensing

On December 13th, 2004, EA Sports announced that they had secured the exclusive rights to the NFL and its players' union until 2009 (and then later extended it to 2012). This prevented any other publishers (notably 2K Sports) from releasing a game that included NFL players, teams, or stadiums until the license has expired.

Madden Challenge

The EA Sports Madden Challenge is one of the most popular video game tournaments in the world, attracting thousands of spectators and players every year. "The Challenge" visits a variety of major cities, each with a 256-player tournament. The winners of each major city then compete for a $50,000 Best Buy gift card and $10,000 in cash.

Madden Cover Athletes

Year	Player(s)
2022	Tom Brady (Character) (Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Concept))/Patrick Mahomes II (Character) (Kansas City Chiefs (Concept))
2021	Lamar Jackson (Character) (Baltimore Ravens (Concept))
2020	Patrick Mahomes II (Character) (Kansas City Chiefs (Concept))
2019	Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers (Concept))
2018	Tom Brady (Character) (New England Patriots (Concept))/Terrell Owens (Character) (Dallas Cowboys (Concept)) (Hall of Fame Edition)
2017	Rob Gronkowski (Character) (New England Patriots (Concept))
2016	Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants (Concept))
2015	Richard Sherman (Character) (Seattle Seahawks (Concept))
2014	Barry Sanders (Character) (Detroit Lions (Concept))/Adrian Peterson (Character) (Minnesota Vikings (Concept))
2013	Calvin Johnson (Character) (Detroit Lions (Concept))
2012	Peyton Hillis (Cleveland Browns (Concept))
2011	Drew Brees (Character) (New Orleans Saints (Concept))
2010	Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh Steelers (Concept) and Arizona Cardinals (Concept))
2009	Brett Favre (Character) (Green Bay Packers (Concept)/New York Jets (Concept))/Roberto Garza (Chicago Bears (Concept)) (Spanish Version)
2008	Vince Young (Character) (Tennessee Titans (Concept))/Luis Castillo (San Diego Chargers) (Spanish Version)
2007	Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks (Concept))/John Madden (Character) (Hall of Fame Edition)
2006	Donovan McNabb (Character) (Philadelphia Eagles (Concept))
2005	Ray Lewis (Person) (Baltimore Ravens (Concept))
2004	Michael Vick (Character)(Atlanta Falcons (Concept))
2003	Marshall Faulk (Character) (St. Louis Rams)
2002	Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings (Concept))
2001	Eddie George (Tennessee Titans (Concept))
2000	Barry Sanders (Character) (Detroit Lions (Concept))/Dorsey Levens (Green Bay Packers (Concept))(PAL Version)
1988-2000	John Madden (Person)

For the cover of Madden 2009, EA chose the retiring Brett Favre for the cover. However, after the game shipped with him in his Green Bay Packers uniform, Favre changed his mind and signed with the New York Jets. In response, EA provided an alternate cover, with Favre in a Jets uniform, that fans could download and print out to replace the Packers version. They also provided a game update that added Favre to the Jets lineup.