With the 2026 NFL season coming up, one big piece of football entertainment fans get during the offseason is the new Madden football game. The new game itself is exciting enough, but there’s also a ton of interest in novelty bets about who will be on the cover.
The Madden Cover last year had Saquon Barkley, and the year before was Christian McCaffrey. Other notable recent athletes on the cover have been Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes and Tom Brady are the only players to grace the cover twice. That likely puts Mahomes out of the running for the new Madden cover, especially after a bad season. However, there are plenty of exciting NFL players who haven’t been on the cover yet. We’re going to break down which players have the best Madden 27 cover athlete odds.
Who Is Going to Be on the Cover for Madden 27?
There are some great candidates to be on the cover for Madden 27. Right now, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is atop Madden 27 cover odds at -700. The former No. 1 overall pick had a rocky rookie season, but dazzled with his playmaking in Year 2. Other players have proven more before getting on the cover, but Williams is a huge name and does make some sense.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history. He finished the year with 1,793 yards and was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. He has the second-best odds at +400, but don’t sleep on him. There hasn’t been a wide receiver on the cover since Madden 19, so the position is due. Plus, Smith-Njigba had a much better season than Williams did.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has the third-best odds at +500. He finished second in MVP voting last season and led his team to the Super Bowl. He’d be an interesting choice.
Another sleeper could be Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, who set the single-season sack record in 2026 with 23.0. Garrett has the fourth-best odds at +500. A defensive player hasn’t been on the Madden cover since Richard Sherman got the honor for Madden NFL 15.
We also have to mention reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. He’s never been on the cover before, but somehow has the fifth-best odds at +1600. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see him on the cover.
