Being a top NFL athlete always has its perks - fame, multimillion contracts, nice rides, great crib. And if lady luck is really on to you, you may even be tapped to be the cover boy for a Madden NFL game...well we won't call that luck, so far all the NFL cover athletes for Madden games had befallen to the "Madden Curse".

The Madden Curse-- since 2000, when NFL hotshots began to grace the covers of Madden NFL games, each of them have had some terrible luck. The first cover boy, Detroit Lions' prized running back Barry Sanders abruptly retired even if, at that time, his contract is still good for four years. Career misfortunes has also hit Eddie George, Daunte Culpepper, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, and Donovan McNabb. They either suffered season-ending injuries, controversial losses, or they never regained their usual playing performance.

Now, it's Madden NFL 07 cover boy, Shaun Alexander's turn to suffer some bad luck. The Seattle Seahawk's running back is suffering from a broken left foot and will not be playing for a minimum of two weeks. Team coach Mike Holmgren disclosed that Alexander was on crutches inside team headquarters recently, and he does not sugarcoat his team's situation saying "you lose the MVP for a while, it's a hit." That's some hit.

Coincidence? Maybe. Madden Curse? Well, if you're the superstitious type, then that may be an acceptable explanation for you. Whatever hocus-pocus is going on, be sure to let us know what you think through your comments.

Buy: [Madden NFL 07]