In yet another sign of how quickly his star has risen after being a fifth-round pick a mere three years ago, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has been tabbed to appear on the cover of the “Madden NFL 15" video game, game maker EA Sports announced Friday.
Sherman was selected by a fan vote, besting Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in the finals.
Sherman is the first defensive player on the Madden cover since Steelers safety Troy Polamalu in Madden ’10, and he is the first Seahawks player to make the cover since Seahawks tailback Shaun Alexander in Madden ’07.
Hall of Fame tailback Barry Sanders appeared on the Madden ’14 box. The previous year, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson appeared on the cover in the very same season that he broke the single-season receiving yardage record. However, the struggles of some who have donned the cover are part of the game’s lore.
The 26-year-old Sherman has intercepted 20 passes in his first three NFL seasons, including eight in 2013, a season capped by Seattle winning its first Super Bowl.