Caleb Williams became the first Chicago Bears player to appear on a Madden cover, and when a fan asked him about the “Madden Curse,” he answered with a two-word mic drop: “Damn right.” While the superstition has haunted cover athletes since the 2020 season, Wi
Caleb Williams didn’t need much time to swat away the question.
Asked directly about the “Madden Curse,” the Chicago Bears quarterback delivered a two-word response that landed like a mic drop: “Damn right.”
Williams is now officially the first member of the Bears to ever grace a Madden cover. For fans, that brings instant déjà vu. The Madden Curse has been lingering in the background since the 2020 season, when a string of cover players followed up with difficult years.
Michael Vick and Shaun Alexander both suffered injuries during their cover season. Peyton Hillis didn’t live up to the hype after his Madden season. The list, in the minds of believers, goes on—and the superstition has turned the cover into something more than a celebration.
Still, Williams’ reaction made it clear he doesn’t view the curse as a verdict waiting to happen.
The superstition is stubborn, but it isn’t foolproof. Calvin Johnson was on the cover of Madden 13 before breaking the single-season receiving yard record. Tom Brady won an MVP after Madden 18. Patrick Mahomes won a Super Bowl after Madden 2020. Those examples sit in the same conversation as the cautionary tales. reminding everyone that the cover doesn’t always predict the fall.
For the Bears, the expectation is pointed in one direction: performance on the field. Williams’ first year under head coach Ben Johnson became the foundation for that belief. He threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also added 388 yards and three scores on the ground.
Chicago has built its offense around helping Williams reach his full No. 1 pick potential. And with Madden now officially in his corner, the message from the quarterback’s stance is simple—curse or not, it’s on him to prove it.
One way or another, the Bears’ season will measure more than hype. It will measure whether the player standing under the Madden spotlight can turn superstition into noise and make the franchise’s gamble feel inevitable.
Because while Williams may dismiss the Madden Curse with two words, the stakes for him—and for Chicago—are the kind that can’t be covered up.
Caleb Williams Chicago Bears Madden Curse Madden cover Ben Johnson NFL quarterback Michael Vick Shaun Alexander Peyton Hillis Calvin Johnson Tom Brady Patrick Mahomes