Madden Curse Strikes Again

Troy Polamalu, star defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, strained his MCL last night against the Tennessee Titans and is out 3-6 weeks. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that the injury could even be something worse than a strain and Polamalu will undergo an MRI today.

Polamalu is now the latest in a VERY long list of players who've suffered major injuries or other career derailments the same season they appeared on the cover of EA Sports Madden Football game. Consider:

2008 Brett Favre (New York Jets)

The Jets started 8-3, but then Favre tore the biceps tendon in his throwing arm. He threw six fewer touchdowns and seven more interceptions than in 2007 and the Jets finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

2007 Vince Young (Tennessee Titans)

Young finished with an abysmal nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The next season, amid personal problems, he lost his starting job to Kerry Collins and has yet to regain it.

2006 Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks)

Alexander missed six games with a broken foot. His 896 yards and seven touchdowns were his lowest since his rookie season.

2005 Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles)

McNabb suffered a sports hernia and missed the second half of the season. The Eagles finished 6-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999.

2004 Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)

Lewis had a fine year and his numbers were only slightly down from the year before. However, he did miss one game due to injury and, for the first time in his career, did not record an interception.

2003 Michael Vick (Atlanta Falcons)

Literally days after Madden was released, Vick broke his leg in a preseason game and missed 11 regular season games. 

2002 Marshall Faulk (St. Louis Rams)

Faulk rushed for 430 fewer yards and had 4 fewer touchdowns than 2001. It was Faulk's worst season since 1996.

2001 Daunte Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings)

Culpepper missed four games with an injury and threw for 1300 fewer yards and 19 fewer touchdowns than he did in 2000.

2000 Eddie George (Tennessee Titans)

George played great in 2000 (1509 Yds, 14 TDs) but the following year he failed to break 1000 yards. Tennessee missed the playoffs and George was never again a premier back.

1999 Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions)

Prior to the season, Sanders asked Detroit to trade him. When they refused, he abruptly retired.

1998 Garrison Hearst (San Francisco 49ers)

Hearst had a fantastic regular season but broke his ankle in the playoffs. Complications occurred and Hearst missed most of the next two seasons.

So it seems there's definitely something to the alleged curse. Truth be told, it's actually one of the reasons I shied away from Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (who appears on this year's cover along with Polamalu) in my fantasy football draft... Clock's ticking Larry...