The One Edorsment Deal No NFL Player Should Take

If you're an NFL superstar, there is something you want no part of no matter how much they pay you or how cool you may look. The Madden cover.

Some of you may not know who or what Madden is. In the world of males, Madden is the battleground on which most of us live out the fantasy of playing NFL football. It's one of the best selling video games in the history of video games. It's named after a Superbowl winning coach John Madden, who also happens to be one of the most decorated and worst color commentators (along with Bill Walton) of his time. For some reason, people love him and idiotic statements ("90 percent of the game is half mental.") And every year, people line up in droves to get the next edition.

Every year, though as well, the player who graces the cover of the game's case seems to get injured.

Today, Shaun Alexander, the NFL MVP of the Seattle Seahawks, found out he broke his foot, and he's out indefintely. Doctors called it a small crack in his foot. I'll diagnose it properly for them. It's the Madden Jinx.

This is the seven straight season the player who graces the cover has either had a horrible season, made a bonehead play that cost his team it's season or had an injury make his season horrible.

The List:
2007 - Shaun Alexander, broken foot.
2006 - Donavan McNabb, sports hernia and T.O.-itis.
2005 - Ray Lewis, Zero interceptions, good team missed playoffs.
2004 - Mike Vick, fractured right fibula.
2003 - Marshall Faulk, injury caused him to rush for under 1,000 yards.
2002 - Daunte Culpepper, 4-7 record before season-ending knee injury.
2001 - Eddie George, ran for 1500 yards, but bobbled pass and cost team postseason win.

Needless to say, there's a reason you've never seen Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, the two best quarterbacks in the NFL, on this cover. There's a reason, Ladanian Tomlinson, the best running back in the NFL, isn't on this cover. No NFL player should ever be on it again. Why would you? The result of your next season is inevitable.

This is what needs to happen.

I propose that they hold a national Madden tournament with a $100 entry fee and 18 and older entry fee. Get about 50,000 people (trust me, there would be more who wanted to play), take the money and donate some half of the pot to New Orleans and make the rest of it prize money. And the winner not only takes home a grand prize of cash, but gets to grace the cover of the next summer's Madden edition.

That way, no one gets hurt. There would only be one problem. The jinx would continue because the grand champion would probably be fired from his job because of his obsession with Madden and his lack of performance.