Kansas City Chiefs

The first Chiefs player to break the Madden Curse and win a Super Bowl as a cover athlete.

The Kansas City Chiefs hold a unique and historic place in the history of Madden NFL 20, marking a significant turning point for cover athletes. As the first player from the franchise to appear on the cover, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was unveiled alongside the game's announcement on April 25, 2019. This release, which launched on August 2, 2019, across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, featured Mahomes as the face of the thirtieth installment in the series. His appearance was particularly notable because he became the second player after Rob Gronkowski to win a Super Bowl in the same season they graced the cover. More significantly, Mahomes broke the long-standing "Madden Curse" by winning the Super Bowl MVP award while on the cover, proving that the team's star could dominate both the virtual and real-world gridsiron simultaneously.

Quick Facts

Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes
Status: Active

Lore & Background

Patrick Mahomes' tenure as the Madden NFL 20 cover athlete began with his official unveiling on April 25, 2019. This moment was historic not only for the game but for the franchise itself, as it marked the first time a Kansas City Chiefs player had ever been featured on the cover of a Madden title. The narrative surrounding Mahomes was defined by his status as both the team's quarterback and the 2018 NFL MVP leading into the game's development cycle.

Mahomes, the cover athlete, became the second player after Rob Gronkowski to win the Super Bowl in his Madden cover season, and the first to be Super Bowl MVP in it, breaking the so-called Madden Curse. He secured a Super Bowl victory in that same season and earned the Super Bowl MVP title, shattering the "Madden Curse" that had plagued the series for years. His inclusion also introduced new gameplay elements; specifically, he was featured as the head coach of the "Magicians" team in the Season 1 post-launch mode known as Superstar KO.

This squad focused on run-pass options and play actions, sponsored by Twitch Prime, offering players a distinct strategic identity compared to other teams like the blitz-heavy Florida Keys.

Reader's Guide

To utilize the Kansas City Chiefs effectively in Madden NFL 20, players should leverage the specific modes introduced during Season 1 post-launch content. A key feature is Superstar KO, a new mode where users can select Mahomes as the head coach of the "Magicians" team. This squad focuses on run-pass options and play actions, offering a unique playstyle compared to other teams like the Florida Keys or Backyard Heroes. In standard gameplay, players should note that Mahomes was the first Chiefs player ever to be on the cover, released on August 2, 2019 (or July 30 for Superstar/Ultimate Superstar edition owners).

As part of his voice role, announcer Brandon Gaudin explains the game's accessibility settings in its intro. Most menus are narrated, but some deep in Franchise mode, such as scouting college players and signing free agents, are not. In Superstar KO, added after launch, the Magicians team coached by Patrick Mahomes focuses on run-pass options and play action.