As a long-suffering New York Giants fan, it pains this author to see all-star running back Saquon Barkley wearing the green of the Philadelphia Eagles – especially now he’s a Super Bowl champion.
But Barkley’s freakish athletic ability will always be something we admire, and his reverse hurdle is an iconic moment in recent NFL history. If you haven’t seen it before, then you can watch the original move, as it happened, here:
It’s fitting, then, that Madden NFL 26 will mark the moment on its cover. This is, honestly, one of the coolest box arts we’ve seen in quite some time.
Amusingly, behind-the-scenes videos show that Barkley actually used a harness to shoot this picture, but we suppose the Eagles wouldn’t be particularly happy if he got injured on set.
The game itself, which will release on 14th August, is promising “next-level coaching, QB authenticity, and explosive gameplay”.
Unfortunately for the Madden franchise these days, it’s getting completely overshadowed by the EA Sports College Football series, with the latest instalment out a month prior to the flagship NFL game.
[source x.com]
Comments 27
I've never understood going for one team or another unless you have like relatives on the team or they play the game the way you think it should be played or something. All those players are not from the cities the teams represent...so you just like horses better than eagles or something? It's never made any sense. I can enjoy the athleticism and love to watch a game, I just don't care who wins. Ever.
I guess that's uniquely prepared me for the post-truth world, where people even vote with a rooting interest versus their own. What matters is "their" team won, therefore they were correct. Loser.
Edit: if you are so smoothe-brained that you don't understand that ending with "loser" was me referencing the previous sentence, I can't even. Get it? Like you are a loser, you loser, because the other team won? Do...do I need puppets?
@LikelySatan This is one of the most off base comments I have seen in awhile. You obviously know nothing about American football or Saquon Barkley. Calling the author a loser is also not necessary.
“coldest” & calling it “football” without mentioning gridiron or american? i can dig it, welcome to america pushsquare!😄 Playstation HQ already made the jump here, so it was only a matter of time, lol
dope cover though, also really great to see how they make game covers. & Saquan better than henry (don’t @ me about it)
@nomither6 Brushing up on my US slang. 💅
@cburg I wasn't calling the author a loser. I was saying we are all losers no matter what when something as base as a rooting interest is motivating.
@LikelySatan I cant tell if this is a serious post or not. You can "love watching sports games and enjoy the athleticism", but don't care about the outcome? What is Gods name are you talking about. Fans have pride for the cities they live in, particularly many NFL cities where American Football and Fandom is ingrained into their culture since birth
@Genghis_Schlonng Nah I get where he's coming from. The players aren't from the city the team "represents", so why care if your "home" team wins or loses? I would rather follow a player or a coach through their career instead of always cheer for the same team. But I understand this view differs from most people.
That’s my boy! Go birds!
@LikelySatan
It is absolutely wild to completely misunderstand why 90% of the entire planet bond over sports and competition, and then top it off calling the author and by extention almost everyone on the planet except yourself a loser.
I think everyone who's read your post thinks someone else is the real loser.
@LikelySatan What u smoking bruv ? Leave me some 😄
@Bramble because, just as you said, the team is what represents the city
@Logonogo but in what way does it represent the city? To me, it's like going to a horse race, slapping a sticker with a city name on each horses' forehead, and be "proud" of the horse with the sticker of your city on it's forehead ... Buuuut ...
As I am writing this, I acknowledge that the main allure is the other people (friends, family, neighbors ...) who root for the same team, and the team of your city is the "easiest" to follow since it is nearby, so it does make sense in that way.
@Bramble teams have deeply established roots and history in their cities with endless connections and meanings to individuals. I could understand your argument if they started the team yesterday but beyond that it holds no weight
Most Madden covers are terrible, but this one is just incredible. Awesome to see Saquon on there too. One of the most deservedly hyped up players in the league.
@get2sammyb EA might be able to sell a few extra copies with "AI enhanced" covers by putting Saquon in his old Giants uniform. Technology is here, only a matter of time before it's all AI anyway. 🤑
Happy for the guy, Giants offer was an insult, made even worse by giving Jones $40mil a year. That stadium is a QB nightmare. 😩
@get2sammyb While not embraced by all of America (yet), there's a slang word in the Philly area that can be used for literally anything and it's the word "jawn". Your friend is getting a drink and you want one as well? "Yo, get me that jawn too." Almost get into a car accident? "That jawn almost hit me." Eagles winning the Super Bowl? "The Eages just won that jawn!" It's like the Philly slang version of a noun; it can be a person, place, or thing. May have to sneak that into another post.
I didn't know you were a Giants fan Sammy! Good luck this coming year! From a Cardinals fan
I’ve no love for American “Ball” Carrying simulator but I have to admit that was an impressive move
@LordAinsley yet again. Clear the queso and 4% beer from your brain, people. Wasn't calling the author a loser.
@Logonogo okay, that is stupid. Every team would call themselves "The Pepsi Fizzies" in as much time as a check could be cut, and stop acting like it's anything bigger than that.
@LikelySatan really weird argument. i get if it is not for you but it makes sense
@LikelySatan Just because you don't understand the attraction of something, doesn't make it stupid.
It's fine not to enjoy the same things that literally billions of other people around the world enjoy (rooting for their "home" teams in dozens or even hundreds of sports), but it's a bit bold to even jokingly say billions of other people are losers for having a different perspective than you.
@RobN I love stupid things, and some stupid things I don't love. This one in particular I don't get at all. Shrug. So long as no one flips over my car if their team loses/wins, I'm good.
You'll notice I never said anyone was a loser. That's what you heard, and that means it's on you.
@LikelySatan You'll notice everyone here has the same interpretation of what you said, even after corrections. Perhaps you didn't actually communicate clearly - that's on you.
@RobN it's like a religion, lol. K thanks bye.
@Bramble but in that case you are still rooting for the team of that Coach/player you are following to win. And a lot of teams have players from that city on the roster.
@Logonogo Yeah, as somebody who doesn't care about sport teams at all, it was a bit abstract at first glance, but you make a valid argument
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