Who was the first person on Madden? John Madden was the first person on Madden. The John Madden Football video game series has been produced by Electronic Arts (formerly known as EA Sports) since 1988, and the series has become the longest-running football videogame series in history. Named after famed coach and broadcaster John Madden, the game was the first to feature 11-on-11 full teams, as well as 3D graphics. Although the iconic football coach was not directly involved in the game’s development, his likeness has been used in the branding for the past 32 years.
Who Was The First Person To Be Featured On Madden?
The Madden NFL franchise is arguably the most successful video game series of all time, with each version of the game pushing the boundaries of the sports genre in simulation and realism. Throughout the years, it has featured some of the greatest professional football players and coaches to ever grace the gridiron and is now affectionately known as a rite of passage for all aspiring NFL superstars. But who was the first person to be featured on Madden? That honor belongs to none other than the late great John Madden himself.
John Madden was an all-time great NFL coach, leading the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship and then achieving fame as a legendary sports commentator. As the story goes, he was approached by the developers of the original Madden NFL in 1988 and asked to lend his name and likeness to a football game. But Madden was initially wary, only agreeing to the deal after being assured the game would accurately depict his beloved game on a realistic level.
Once confirmed as the “face” of the Madden franchise, Madden’s name became synonymous with pioneering the advancements in video gaming the sports genre. This was the first time any professional player or coach lent his name and likeness to a video game, and since then, several NFL superstars have been featured on the franchise’s cover, from Drew Brees to Antonio Brown and from John Elway to Tom Brady. Despite being the first person on the Madden cover, Madden himself proceeded to have a long-lasting presence in the game, up until his death in April of 2013.
To this day, the Madden NFL franchise stands as a testament to John Madden’s legacy, and the developers of the game continue to honor him. The NFL even created the annual “John Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award” in his honor. And so, the memory of John Madden lives on, proven by the fact that he was the first professional player or coach to be featured on a major video game.
Who was the first person on Madden?
Madden Football is one of the most iconic video games of all time and it is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. It is even celebrated as an event every year, where the latest installment of the series is released with much fanfare. One of the biggest parts of the hype surrounding a new Madden game is the player featured on the cover. This person is the face of the game, and they have the honor of becoming a household name in the gaming world. So, who was the first person to grace the cover of Madden?
John Madden himself was the first choice for the first Madden NFL videogame in 1988, and he was featured on the game’s packaging. However, the series gained more popularity when it began appearing on the shelves of game stores, and this prompted the search for a figure that gamers could recognize and associate with the game. The first person to have the honor of appearing on the cover of Madden was the legendary football player and Dallas Cowboys running back, Emmitt Smith.
Smith was the spokesperson for the game’s 11th installment, Madden NFL 2005. He was the perfect choice – Smith was the NFL’s all-time leading rusher at the time and the Cowboys were one of the most popular and successful teams on the league. His appearance on the cover instantly became iconic and was hailed as one of the most memorable cover artworks in the history of the franchise. Since then, dozens of players have appeared on the cover of Madden and become a part of the games’ legacy.
