Ja’Marr Chase gives an honest answer to possibly featuring on the Madden 25 Cover 

Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase loves football video games like Madden but has no desire to grace its next cover.

Ja’Marr Chase gives an honest answer to possibly featuring on the Madden 25 Cover 

Ja'Marr Chase talks about featuring on the cover of Madden 25 (Image via IMAGO/X)

Every year, gaming and football fans fight over which player deserves to be on the cover of EA Sports’ Madden football video game. They can count Ja’Marr Chase out. The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver doesn’t want to see his face in the coveted game.

Chase grew up playing video games with his friends back in his hood, which, according to him, wasn’t the safest. He played NBA Streets basketball games featuring the likes of Snoop Dogg as well as Madden football games. So, he is well-versed in the story surrounding the Madden cover.

On Thursday, reporters asked the 24-year-old if he would love to see himself on the cover of Madden 25.

No, I don’t want that. I am saying I am good… I am not doing that, I am straight out.

Ja’Marr Chase said via Mike Petraglia

However, he will be very happy to be on the cover of NFL Street Football.

Ja’Marr Chase perhaps weary of the Madden Curse

At some point, the EA will consider Chase as one of the candidates for the Madden cover. Chase has been phenomenal this season even though the Cincinnati Bengals are 6-8. The All-Pro wide receiver leads the league with 102 receptions for 1413 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns with still three games left to play.

Ja'Marr Chase gives an honest answer to possibly featuring on the Madden 25 Cover 
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (Image via IMAGO)

The reason Chase is not too keen on making the cover of Madden can be attributed to the phenomenon called the ‘Madden Curse.’ Several players in the past who were featured on the cover suffered bad luck in their professional and personal lives. Christian McCaffrey, the San Francisco 49ers running back who featured on the Madden 24 cover, saw his season cut short due to Achilles tendonitis.

The Bengals need to tie him down with a long contract

Appearing on the cover of a popular video game should be the least of Chase’s worries for the time being. The Bengals still have a good chance of playing postseason football if they win the remaining three games and see results elsewhere go in their favor.

  • Denver Broncos lose their final two games (lost the week 16 fixture against the Chargers) (they play Bengals in week 17 and end the season by hosting the Kansas City Chiefs).
  • Indianapolis Colts lose at least one game (Titans, Giants and Jaguars)
  • Miami Dolphins lose one or more games of their remaining three (49ers, Browns, and Jets).

If the Bengals do make it in, then they will have extended time to process a new deal for Chase. The LSU graduate is already the Bengals single-season receiving yards leader, making him a prized asset. Quarterback Joe Burrow has publicly expressed his team should pay him.

Chase could command a salary package similar to his former Tigers teammate Justin Jefferson’s (Vikings) $35 million a year. He can also surpass Jefferson to become the highest-paid WR if the Bengals better the $110 million guaranteed that the Vikings agreed to pay Jefferson.

Related: Rob Gronkowski has high expectations from Bill Belichick for his UNC stint