Which running back has appeared on EA Madden cover? Listing NFL RBs who made the cut

The best indication that an NFL player has gained even more popularity is, as is customary, being selected for the yearly Madden cover. Several well-known NFL players, like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and most recently, Christian McCaffrey, have appeared on the cover of Madden in recent years.

However, a running back hadn't appeared on the renowned video game cover in a while until McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers was selected to do so last year. McCaffrey is the first player at the position to grace the official Madden cover since Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders were jointly featured for Madden NFL 25 in 2013.

Let's look at every running back chosen to be on Madden's cover since the video game series began using athletes on the cover in 2000.

Running backs to have featured on Madden cover

1) Eddie George, Tennessee Titans - 2001

Madden NFL 2001 was the third iteration in the Madden NFL series to have an NFL athlete on the cover. Eddie George, who played in the NFL for nine seasons, largely with the Titans, was featured on that year's video game cover. Throughout his career, he was named to four Pro Bowls and one First-Team All-Pro.

2) Marshall Faulk, St Louis. Rams - 2003

At the time of his appearance on the cover of Madden, Marshall Faulk was one of the NFL's most entertaining players due to his unique blend of speed, power and elusiveness. He recorded seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons and was selected to seven Pro Bowls throughout his 12-year career.

3) Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks - 2007

Shawn Alexander was considered one of the best running backs in the NFL when he was selected as the cover player for Madden NFL 07. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl and won the NFL MVP award in 2005.

Additionally, Alexander was the first player to appear on the covers of Madden NFL and NCAA Football.

4) Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns - 2012

Former Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis was featured as the cover athlete in Madden 12. He had a stellar 2010 season with 11 touchdowns and almost 1,200 yards rushing in 16 games.

5) Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings - 2014

Adrian Peterson appeared on the next-generation cover to commemorate Madden's 25th anniversary. He came within nine yards of equalling Eric Dickerson's single-season record with 2,097 running yards in the 2012 season. He won the NFL MVP Award for his efforts and was named the next Madden cover athlete.

6) Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers - 2025

Christian McCaffrey was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year after leading the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2023 season. That season, he finished as the league's joint-leader in touchdowns (21) and finished top in the league with 2,023 total yards.