Last week, the cover of EA Sports Madden NFL 25 was revealed and San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey was featured as the cover athlete. It was disappointing to see the major producer miss out on such an obvious marketing opportunity for Justin Jefferson.
Madden did not make the obvious decision
First of all, it’s perfectly fine to call Christian McCaffrey a superstar. The 49ers running back is definitely up to the job, and playing with someone like Deebo Samuel makes the pair a real offensive weapon. But other than that, the overall combination doesn’t make much sense.
Yes, McCaffrey was in the Super Bowl last season, facing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. They lost that game, however, and finished the season without a ring, as did all but one other team. McCaffrey also primarily plays a position that has become somewhat faceless across the league. Running backs have never been less valued, and top backs have never had fewer opportunities to showcase themselves individually. It’s good that the 49ers are a coastal team, because that boosts their national exposure, but that’s more of a team brand than an individual one.
With someone like Justin Jefferson as another pick for this cycle, everything seemed to be going perfectly. The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver just signed the most lucrative non-quarterback contract in NFL history. Even though that happened in July, there was never a logical reason why the extension wouldn’t be finalized before the start of the final year of his rookie contract. Now was the time for him to get paid, and given the performance that had been known for months, it was clear he was going to get the sack.
Despite lacking quarterback continuity last season, Jefferson still surpassed 1,000 yards. The Vikings failed to win in the second year under Kevin O’Connell but struggled with significant injury issues.
Even though they haven’t won a game in their third year, the excitement of having a top rookie quarterback is probably greater than in any other season in recent history.
Jefferson is also a marketing dream. From his flashy style to his personable charisma, his smiling face on the cover could have brought in good numbers when he appeared on The Griddy. Perhaps the franchise can play a regional cover in the future, but one wonders why a wide receiver wouldn’t have been chosen over a running back. If it’s not a quarterback, the next big name in the league is playing for Minnesota.
Ted Schwerzler is a Twin Cities blogger who focuses on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He is active on Þjórsárden and writes weekly for Twins daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, passionately covering our professional teams has always been a natural path for me.
