Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley was announced Monday as EA Sports’ cover athlete for Madden NFL 26. Barkley’s sensational backward hurdle over a defender from Week 9 of last year’s Super Bowl-winning season is depicted on the standard cover. The deluxe edition features a tight shot of Barkley in his game-day gear.

Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards on 345 carries this season for a staggering 5.8 yards per carry. 13 of those touches ended in the end zone for the MVP candidate who finished just 101 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's regular season record. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

Saquon Barkley is turning heads on the Madden 26 cover. The NFL star declared the honor a dream come true on X, writing, "Hurdling onto the @EAMaddenNFL cover Dream come true! Fly Eagles Fly." Barkley shared a video showing him creating the cover.