How many times has Tom Brady been on the cover of Madden?
Madden 22 dropped its cover this week, stealing some of the attention away from Aaron Rodgers (only for this week, Packers fans). With Madden making headlines, Tom Brady is once again in the limelight, which is familiar territory for the legendary quarterback.
There was one question that arose with Brady making the cover of Madden 22. How many times has the seven-time Super Bowl champion graced the Madden cover?
While it's rare to get on the cover of Madden, the Tampa Bay QB has been on the cover twice in recent years.
Tom Brady's history with Madden
Tom Brady's first cover came in Madden 18, released on August 25, 2017. Some were surprised it took Tom Brady almost 20 years to get on the cover of a game that consistently rates him as a 90+ overall athlete. At the time, Tom Brady was coming off a thoroughly audacious season, numbers-wise. The then-Patriots star threw 28 touchdowns and two interceptions in 2016.
2016 was the year the New England Patriots went to the Super Bowl to face the Atlanta Falcons. The catalyst that pushed Tom Brady over the edge and finally onto the cover was likely the game when he led one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sports. Down 28-3 with only a few minutes left in the third quarter, Tom Brady put on a clinic in QB play en route to an overtime win.
Tom Brady's only other cover was announced this June. In Madden 22, Brady shares the cover with Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City's elite QB.
Last season, Tom Brady did something few could fathom: he left New England to take his talents to Tampa Bay. The five-time Super Bowl MVP made the playoffs as a wild card and went on to win the Super Bowl.
Tom Brady defeated Patrick Mahomes handily in that game and became the oldest player to ever win a Super Bowl. He also joined Peyton Manning as the only quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
In 2020, Tom Brady threw for 4,633 yards, 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His passing yardage was higher in 2020 than in any other season since 2015. The only season in which he threw more touchdowns was in 2007. At nearly 44 years old, Tom Brady is putting up some of the best stats of his career.
It turned out to be a fitting choice to feature Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes on the cover of Madden 22. Mahomes and Brady are now the first players to feature on the cover twice.