Burleson wants Chase Young to be Madden NFL 22's cover athlete originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
With the popular Madden NFL video game set to announce its cover athlete on Thursday, NFL Network's Good Morning Football crew spent a segment of their Tuesday show discussing which player they'd like to see earn the honor.
And, the choice former NFL wide receiver and current analyst Nate Burleson made should please Washington Football Team fans.
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"Let's go with a guy who was dominant -- and I mean dominant -- in his rookie season," Burleson said. "Every time he was on the field, it seemed like he was making a big play. His personality is bigger than life, his muscles are just as big."
So, who could Burleson be talking about? Well that, obviously, would be reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Chase Young.
Why Young? Besides the fact that the 22-year-old has the play and personality that would make for a great cover athlete, Burleson also believes that by choosing the Washington star, the game can market a player who is expected to be one of the NFL's best for a long time.
"The thing about Madden, here's the way it works: You'll get a superstar that balled out, he could be the MVP of the league or a Super Bowl MVP. You're like, 'alright, I get it. He's supposed to be on the cover,'" Burleson said.
"But then occasionally, Madden will select a guy who is the future of the game. That's why I believe Chase Young should don the cover of Madden."
As Burleson was giving his reasoning, NFL Network flashed a graphic on the screen of what a Madden cover with Young on it would look like.
How cool does that look?
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young was as good as advertised -- if not better -- during his rookie season with Washington. The former Ohio State star finished his inaugural campaign playing incredible football, as he earned both Defensive Rookie of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month in December. Young, who ended the year second on Washington in sacks, was also named to the Pro Bowl.
While Burleson made a solid case for Young to grace the Madden cover, he understands that's likely not the route the game will take. Plus, Madden released a teaser for the cover athlete on Monday with two goats, leading many to believe the cover will be a split between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
But, if Young continues to ascend and reach his full potential, putting him on the cover of future Madden editions is very much a possibility.
"I know this is a little bit of a reach, but I wanted to go a little bit different. This is something I'd like to see," Burleson said. "I know it probably won't happen. But here's the thing: as good as he is and as well as he's been playing, maybe he'll don the cover in 2023 and 2024."
