Hillis Cursed?

Could Browns’ fan really have jinxed their team this season by voting Peyton Hillis onto the cover of Madden 2012? First the first time in a long time, Browns’ fan finally had a reason to celebrate as the Albino Rhino outlasted Michael Vick in the finals to get the “honor” of being the Madden cover boy. Hillis is certainly not the first person to have the jinx of the Madden cover, the Curse goes all the way back to 2000.

-          2000  Barry Sanders

Barry was put on the cover of the game and then retired one week before training camp, thus introducing the Madden Curse to America.  Then again, it may have actually been the Lions who were cursed, as the 2000s Lions were one of the worst franchises in history of sports.

-          2002 Daunte Culpepper

Culpepper started the season off at 4-7 and finished at 6-10 while throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and fumbling an absurd 21 times.

-          2004 Michael Vick

Vick proceeded to break the fibula in his right leg during the preseason and did not play until week 11. His troubles post-Madden were just the beginning of his troubles as he was later found to be running “Bad News Kennelz” which funded and organized dog fighting which landed him behind bars.

-          2005 Ray Lewis

Lewis broke the mold by being the first defensive player to ever grace the cover of Madden, but his defensive skills did not keep him from getting sacked by the curse. Lewis played six games the following season and did not make the Pro-Bowl for the first time

-          2006 Donovan McNabb

McNabb actually faired a little better than most of the covers because he made it all the way to week 11 before suffering his season ending injury, a torn ACL.

-          2008 Vince Young

Began the season suspended and then proceeded to throw nearly twice as many interceptions as touchdowns when he returned. He seems to have the ultimate curse and brought it with him to the “Dream Team” this season.

-          2009 Brett Favre

The first of too many comeback attempts took place as he joined the Jets and played like an old and man. Also he had that whole cell phone picture taking incident take place while on the cover.

-          2010 Troy Polamula

Managed to only play five games the following season because of multiple knee injuries.

-          2012 Peyton Hillis?

Through six games Hillis has already missed two games, one with strep throat and one with a sore hamstring. When active in games, he has been unproductive.

Good Luck to whoever gets chosen for the cover next season, may I suggest a Steeler or Raven?