EA Sports recently held a contest for fans to vote for which current of former NFL star would grace the cover of the latest Edition of the Madden franchise, Madden NFL 25. After six rounds and 40 million votes, it has been decided that former NFL running back Barry Sanders would grace the cover of the game.
Sanders beat out many superstars to receive this honor, besting current and former greats such as Ray Lewis, Marcus Allen, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and in the final round, Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson, who many claim to be the spirited successor to Barry Sanders.
Barry Sanders played on the Detroit Lions from 1989-1998, and was considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, amassing huge amounts of rewards and records during that time. many said that, if he had not retired early, he could have broken the all time rushing record for the NFL. Known for being elusive and lightning quick, he was one of the most feared opponents for defenses, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Madden NFL 25 breaks from the traditional naming structure of the series, opting to honor the series 25th anniversary rather than name the title for the current year, as it tradition. Madden NFL 25 is being developed by EA Tiburon for an August 27 release. The game will be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will feature a new version of the Infinity Engine and Force Impact System, which should hopefully clean up the game's physics and tackling system and lead to a more realistic football experience.
The Madden franchise, named after Hall of Fame coach and NFL commentator John Madden, has sold close to 100 million copies since it's inception.