Vick Poised To Become First To Cover Madden Game Twice, Loses To Peyton Hillis
Whether this NFL season plays out or not, Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Mike Vick was thought to have the opportunity to do something no player in the history of the NFL has ever achieved.
Vick was poised to become the first athlete to be a two-time Madden cover boy in the games history but unfortunately was not voted by fans to have the opportunity.
Vick learned late Wednesday that he lost the Madden cover after being beat out by Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis in the final head-to-head match of the 32-player tournament.
Vick had advanced to the final by defeating Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson 59 percent to 41 in national voting.
Hillis advanced to the final by outvoting Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers 61-39.
Vick had previously appeared on the cover of Madden 2004 when he was a quarterback with Atlanta.
“There is certainly no shortage of opinion on Mike personally, but when it comes to Madden football, we’re about on-field performance,” said Anthony Stevenson, a senior product manager for EA. “
So when it’s up to fans and they’re voting not only for him to start in the Pro Bowl but also to advance to the finals of this cover vote, it’s hard for us to think it’s a bad thing.”
Vick also covered the game in 2004.
According to EA, last year’s version of the game sold over 5 million copies with the game selling in excess of 90 million since its inception in 1989. Voting for which player would land the cover started last month. This is the first year that the cover athlete for the game will be chosen solely off fans votes. Vick was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year with the Eagles in last season.
Wednesday, the QB retweeted this picture labeled: SPOILER ALERT from his official Twitter account.
Mike Vick and Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns (pictured at far right.)
