NFL fans fear that the 'Madden curse' may have struck again on MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs superstar, 24, lit up the league last season on his way to winning the Most Valuable Player gong, and that earned him a place on the front cover of EA Sports Madden 20.
But Mahomes left Thursday night's win over the Denver Broncos with a knee injury, prompting fears the curse of being the cover star might have claimed another victim.
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The curse dates back 21 years when the American football game began featuring NFL players on the cover rather than the coach it was named after - John Madden.
Modern-day greats such as Donovan McNabb, Ray Lewis, Adrian Peterson and Drew Brees have all felt the impact of the curse after being named on the cover.
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The curse can be anything from injury to suspension or even poor performance.
Last year, wide receiver Antonio Brown was on the cover, and he looked to have avoided the curse during the season.
But this year he's been traded, released by two teams and struggled with personal issues away from the field.
The season before, cover star Tom Brady put up some stunning numbers and was named league MVP, but his New England Patriots side lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
And the year prior to that, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was forced to watch his team's Super Bowl win over the Atlanta Falcons from the sidelines due to injury.
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Chiefs supporters are hoping that Mahomes' difficult season and latest knee injury are nothing to do with being featured on the cover of Madden 20.
The reigning MVP has been dealing with an ankle niggle all season, and dislocated his knee on Thursday night in Denver.
Mahomes is due for an MRI scan on Friday to discover the extent of the injury, but the best case scenario will see him miss a few weeks of action at least.
The worst case would probably rule the 24-year-old out for the season in a devastating blow for Kansas City.
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The Chiefs won 30-6 at AFC West division rivals Denver on Thursday night to get their season back on track.
Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and a defensive touchdown helped Kansas City improve to 5-2 and bounce back from two straight home losses.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Patrick Mahomes, NFL
