On Wednesday morning, EA Sports announced who would be gracing the cover of Madden 23.
John Madden, the game’s namesake, has been chosen to be on the cover for Madden NFL 23: All Madden Edition. Madden passed away in 2021 at the age of 85.
Not long after the announcement was made, a graphic featuring every cover of the Madden video game series started floating around social media. When it did, fans couldn’t help but notice one player in particular.
No one remembers how former Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis got on the cover.
“Still trying to figure out how Peyton Hillis got on a Madden cover,” one sportsbook said.
“To this day, has anyone ever figured out how Peyton Hillis got on there?” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk asked.
“peyton hillis is trending so it must be madden cover day,” another fan said.
Hillis was a one-season wonder for the Browns in 2010. He racked up 1,177 rushing yards with 11 rushing touchdowns. He added another 477 yards and two touchdowns on 61 receptions.
It’s a far cry from the best statistical season a running back has had, but he shocked the football world enough to earn the Madden cover.