Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) kneels on the field with an apparent injury against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Soldier Field.
Did Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams accidentally curse himself by writing off the legendary EA Sports Madden Curse in an interview earlier this year?
It’s impossible to say for certain. But it’s hard to ignore Williams’ nonchalant answer regarding the famed curse after he had to be carted off with a brutal-looking hamstring injury during Chicago’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was the cover athlete for EA Sports Madden 27. But he wasn’t concerned about the potential curse that came with it.
Caleb Williams Shut Down Talk Of The Madden Curse
The Madden “curse” dates all the way back to 1999, when San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Heart graced the cover of the game and then broke his fibula in the playoffs, forcing him to miss the next two full seasons due to complications.
It continued in 2000 with the sudden retirement of Barry Sanders and co-cover star Dorsey Levens’s knee injuries. There were then countless examples of the curse through the 2000s, before Calvin Johnson appeared to break it 2013 with a record-setting season.
However, Saquon Barkley saw his production dip significantly after appearing on the cover in 2026 following a remarkable 2025 season with the Eagles.
Williams is the cover star for the new edition of the game. But he told BroBibe’s Brett Haman that he wasn’t worried at all.
“It’s really important for me,” Williams said of being on the cover. “It’s something that I wanted to set out and do. I wanted to bring a certain energy back to Chicago and Chicago football. This is just the start. Obviously, a big portion of it will be winning games and winning the big one.
“So, hopefully it starts this year, and that trend keeps going upwards from there. No more of this Madden curse.”
If there’s one thing I know about curses, it’s that you do not, under any circumstances, bring up the curse! It’s just like talking about a no-hitter during a no-hitter.
Williams and the Bears are awaiting MRI results to see how much time he’ll miss. But the early returns on the “No more Madden curse” comment aren’t exactly great.