The makers of the infamous Madden video game series announced that the new cover athlete would be revealed on June 11. The Madden franchise has been one of the more popular for fans and continues to be a highly-anticipated release each season. The cover athletes are always interesting, even with the so-called “Madden Curse” that comes with gracing the cover.

This video game series has done its best to have parity along the covers, with someone new taking the place almost every season. Fans love to see different players and teams on the cover, helping to drive the sales of the game. With the release coming out next week, here are the top five players who would make the most sense to be on the cover this year.

5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are the back-to-back Super Bowl champions, so having a player from their roster makes sense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has adorned the cover a few times already, so why not go with his best offensive weapon instead?

Kelce has also made waves throughout the NFL for his off-the-field adventures, especially his relationship with music star Taylor Swift. This could be a great way for the game franchise to potentially sell more copies to those who may have never previously thought about buying it.

4. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

While it’s unlikely that a second-year player makes the cover, the Madden franchise could look to take advantage of the hype around the Texans. Houston shocked everyone last season en route to a playoff berth, but Stroud showed out.

He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year honor, giving him some real momentum entering his second season. Only he could make the cover this early in his career and weirder things have happened before.

3. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

After helping the 49ers to the Super Bowl last season, McCaffrey has taken on a whole new level of stardom. He has been one of the better running backs in the NFL for years, but he finally got to add some postseason success to his resume.

It would be intriguing to have him on the cover simply because he is an explosive, popular figure around the league.

2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson is regarded as the best wide receiver in the NFL, so it would make sense for Madden to want to market him. He just signed a massive extension with the Vikings as well, adding more to his credibility.

The game could benefit from putting Jefferson on the cover simply due to how much popularity he has around the league. Fans love Jefferson. Seeing him on the cover could do wonders for his brand.

1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Most people believe that, based on the color in Madden 25’s teaser video, Burrow will be the choice. The video has something of an orange hue to it, giving thought to Burrow being on the cover. But it does make sense to have Burrow, especially with him returning to the field this year after dealing with an injury for most of last season.

The Bengals are a highly watched team due to the success they have seen over the last few years, giving Burrow more credibility for the cover. If selected, he would become the first player in Bengals history to grace the game’s cover.