Hindsight is 20/20. Last April, a re-retired Brett Favre seemed like a good cover athlete choice for Madden 2009. The curse would be broken, or so EA thought. After a month of speculation, Brett Favre returned to play for the New York Jets. To describe it as a lackluster return would be an understatement.

Favre had 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, but his play down the stretch cost the Jets a few winnable games and the Jets were toast. All the while, the Dolphins and former Jets QB Chad Pennington were busy winning the AFC East. The Jets were ruined, Brett Favre’s career had a lame punctuation, and the Madden Curse had struck again.

Another one bites the dust.

Still, Madden 10 might be a year for redemption. There is a lot of "can’t miss" talent breaking out in the NFL. Since the cover athlete should be announced within the next few weeks, here are five guys that should be involved in the cover athlete discussion.

5. Ben Roethlisberger
After only five years in the NFL, Big Ben is already getting ready to defend his second Super Bowl championship. He has cemented his status as an elite NFL quarterback and should continue on that path. Roethlisberger’s only video game cover was Backyard Football 2007, so he might be ready for the big leagues.

4. Ed Reed
Ed Reed has always been a game-changing safety. In 2008, he made himself known as the best in the league and one of the best in NFL history -- all while leading the Ravens to the playoffs. In Reed’s favor, the last defensive player to cover Madden was longtime teammate, Ray Lewis, back in 2005. Ed Reed is a special talent, and if a defensive player is going to be on the cover of a Madden game, it should be the hard hitting safety from Da U.

3. Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson ended his second NFL season exactly where most people assumed he would: at the top of the league. Peterson led the NFL in rushing, was named to the AP All-Pro team, and helped the Minnesota Vikings get to the playoffs. The last running back to be on the cover of Madden was Shaun Alexander back in 2007. Though Alexander has fallen off, Peterson should be here for the long haul. If he does not get the cover this year, AD will get his eventually.

2. Matt Ryan
Matty Ice proved that even an NFL rookie can lead a team to the playoffs. Though the Falcons lost to the NFC Champion Cardinals, Ryan emerged as the new face of the Falcons franchise. However, there are three things potentially holding him back. The first is that EA has featured a QB on the cover two years in a row; the second and third reasons are that the last two second-year QBs featured on the cover, Vince Young and and Michael Vick, are no longer on football radars -- at least not for the right reasons. None of this is Matt Ryan’s fault, and while the last Falcons cover athlete once had a promising career, Atlanta may still get another chance.

1. Larry Fitzgerald
While the Pittsburgh Steelers were victorious in the most recent Super Bowl, for many, the most memorable play of Super Bowl XLIII was Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard TD catch that put the Cardinals in the lead for a short while. With all the hype surrounding Fitzgerald in the biggest game of his career, he delivered. He is the clear cut number one receiver in the NFL, and his stock will continue to rise. Fitzgerald has some history with EA as he was on the cover of NCAA Football 2005. Also, one thing to consider is that the Madden series has never featured a wide receiver on its cover. However, Fitzgerald seems like the type of guy who could break a mold like that, and that is why he should be the number one choice for Madden 10's cover.


Who should be on the cover of Madden 10? Is Big Ben up there with Manning and Brady? Is Matt Ryan the next great QB? Sound off in the comment box below!