Rodgers Loses in Semi-Finals of Madden '13 Cover Vote
The Packers quarterback was knocked out by Lions receiver Calvin Johnson one round before the cover vote's finals.
By Zach Kruse
Sleep easy, curse-believing Packers fans. Your MVP quarterback will not be on the cover of Madden NFL 2013.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was defeated in the cover vote's semi-finals by Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, ending the chance Rodgers had at securing a cover that has been "unlucky"—for lack of a better word—to the players who have graced it over the better part of a decade.
The end margin wasn't even close—Johnson took home over 67% percent of the vote, which comprised a little over 450,000 total votes.
Johnson will now move on to face Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who beat out San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis in the other semi-final.
For the second straight year of voting, Rodgers was upset was by a lower "seed" in the bracket. Rodgers was a No. 1 seed again, while Johnson was the No. 6 on Rodgers' side. Last season, Rodgers was upset by Browns running back Peyton Hillis, who ended up winning the 2012 cover.
The finals between Newton and Johnson will take place over the next week—April 18-25—with the winner being broadcast on ESPN's Sportsnation on the 25th.
Comments (25)
April 18, 2012 at 09:43 am
Wooohooooo
April 18, 2012 at 10:04 am
Thank God!
April 18, 2012 at 10:04 am
I dont believe in curses but that doesnt mean I wanna test one. Glad he lost.
April 18, 2012 at 10:20 am
say what you want to about the curse but look it up and its pretty spot on about injury or just plain horrible season. Payton Hillis last year? The year Brent won it he was traded to the Jets and the Jets crashed and burned second half of season.
April 18, 2012 at 10:29 am
Wow. So, there's just not going to be anything that will make someone understand that this is one of the most mind-numbingly idiotic things someone can "believe in". If they don't get injured, they have a bad year. Not a whole bad year? Well...the second half was bad. What's next? Well, remember that one bad game so-and-so had? Yeah, Madden curse. This is beyond stupid. Did Brees get hurt when he was on the cover, or just have a few bad enough games to legitimize your claims. Just incredible. Like children.
April 18, 2012 at 10:39 am
Actually the traitor DID get hurt with the Jets, but played through it because he is a selfish prick. And Brees didn't get hurt but did throw the most INTs in his career by a wide margin.
April 18, 2012 at 05:37 pm
Right, and Rodgers suffered TWO concussions on a year he wasn't on the cover.
This whole curse belief is so stupid.
April 18, 2012 at 06:06 pm
They won the Super Bowl that year because he wasn't on the cover.
April 18, 2012 at 11:21 am
Every year there's a logical explanation.
With Brett, it just might be that a 38 year old QB who gets hit multiple times may suffer an injury.
With Hillis, it just might be that he was injuried the year before, and without a solid contract, decided not to play.
Madden has a penchant to choose players that were worked to death the year prior, as well as players who get into contact constantly. RBs and scrambling QBs are naturally prone to being injuried, moreso following a season where they had 300+ carries.
April 18, 2012 at 10:31 am
"Hey Rodgers, I'm a HUGE fan and know one of your dreams is to be on the cover, but I believe in curses and boogey-men and am voting against you for your own good because I'm somehow more important than you, so eff off! You're welcome." That's all I hear from those that vote against their favorite player. A fan that chooses belief in a made-up curse over their favorite player is NOT a fan.
April 18, 2012 at 10:40 am
We get it. You wanted Rodgers on the cover. He's not. Get over it.
April 18, 2012 at 05:41 pm
Not really the point. He deserves to be on it, more so than any other player in the league. It's just ridiculous that fans who insist on some kind of make-believe curse keep voting against him and preventing him from having an honor he wants and rightfully deserves.
Ultimately it's not super important, but it's childish for fans to keep insisting there is some kind of voodoo associated with being on the cover of a video game.
April 18, 2012 at 10:40 am
It's a video game cover.
Everyone needs to get over it, on both sides.
April 18, 2012 at 10:43 am
"because I’m somehow more important than you"
Your post here sounds pretty self important.
April 18, 2012 at 11:31 am
I don't think Rodgers took this as hard as "dat der" did. I have a feeling that in the back (or front) of ARod's mind he's glad he didn't win. If not, there's always next year. And really, if at this stage in Rodgers life, he "dreams" to be on the Madden cover, then maybe he's evolving into one of those narcissistic me-first athletes that ends up alienating fans.
Maybe "fate" has decreed, to keep ARod's ego in check, that he will never be on the Madden cover.
April 18, 2012 at 11:15 am
Aaron Rodgers ? @AaronRodgers12
Thanks to all our packer fans that voted for and against me in the madden voting! Happy Wednesday! #Curseavoided #go bucks
I didn't vote because of the mix of feelings but I think he is taking it pretty well.
April 19, 2012 at 10:03 am
He's got to. He's all class. And he'd support his boys if it's something they wanted. 'nuff said. On to the draft and then a season where we say good-bye to the Minnesota Vikings.
April 18, 2012 at 12:42 pm
I voted, and as anyone who knows me at all knows, I voted against him. I don't care what anybody says. I think Aaron gets that Packer fans who voted against him were doing it out of support, even if he, like some of you, thinks it's stupid. Might be nice if everyone had his perspective.
April 18, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Y-E-S.
GBP 4 LIFE
April 18, 2012 at 01:20 pm
You know what's funny? the "Curse" was about to be "broken" by any of the last 4 contenders this year any way. So this will be not an issue from now on I think.
This is mostly we-don't-have-NFL-or-even-the-draft-upon-us-talk.
April 18, 2012 at 01:49 pm
We'll see what happens to Cam or Calvin. Very possible that they both end up hurt just for tempting the football gods.
April 18, 2012 at 02:23 pm
I concur.
April 18, 2012 at 02:27 pm
Once this competition ends, I hope they put a picture of the winner with the new Madden '13 on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Whoooooo.
April 18, 2012 at 04:17 pm
I was going to boycot madden and not buy this years edition if Rodgers made the cover! Thank god I can buy it now! And yes both brees & Favre played hurt in their madden cover seasons and Saints lost to the worst 7-9 team in nfl playoff history. If that is not a curse, I don't know what is!
April 18, 2012 at 10:07 pm
For all the non-believers who has been on the cover and won a Superbowl after being on the cover?