Who Will Make The 2010 Cover ?

At the heart of Madden NFL 10 is the Fight For Every Yard.  Who wanted it more?  Who executed?  Who left their heart and soul out on the field?  The best players in the NFL are those who epitomize this fight and strive to dominate every snap of the ball.  It takes this caliber of star to grace the cover of the Madden NFL franchise, and over the course of the next few weeks, we're going to profile 9 candidates that are up for the cover of Madden NFL 10.  Click on the videos to hear Madden NFL 10 announcers Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond share their opinions on each player, then check back every Monday to learn more about the candidates, all leading up to the official cover announcement on Friday, April 24th at the NFL Draft.

Don't forget to visit the Madden NFL forum to discuss our cover countdown with other Madden fans.

Every Monday at 3:00pm EST, tune into EA SPORTS Live to hear the team discuss Madden, the cover countdown and candidate profiles, other EA SPORTS titles and real world sports action too. If you missed last week, listen to Madden cover segment here.

Meet the Candidates: 4 of the 9 Unveiled So Far ...

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  Ben Roethlisberger|QB|Pittsburgh Steelers|4 of 9

  2 Super Bowl rings by age 27 and the poster child for blue-collar, Steel City football.  Say what you want about his QB rating in Super Bowl XL, the guy just wins games.  With Big Ben, it's not about stats, it's about the way he plays the game.  At 6'5" 240 lbs, there isn't a tougher QB to bring down in the league.  How many times did we see him maneuver around a broken down pocket last post-season, only to find an open Hines Ward or Heath Miller for key 1st down?  Oh, and then there's the brilliant Super Bowl winning pass to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone, perfectly placed over 3 Arizona defenders.  Fight For Every Yard?  No, Big Ben Fights For Every Inch. Post your comments on the Madden NFL forum here.

  2008 Stat Line:  3,301 yards, 17 TDs, 10 INT, 80.1 QB Rating

  2008 Fight For Every Yard moment:  "Big Ben" led the Steelers on a 8 play, 78 yard Super Bowl XLII winning drive with just over 2 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter.

  Download Ben Roethlisberger wallpapers here:

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  Brandon Jacobs|RB|New York Giants|3 of 9

  Have you ever ran full speed, face first, into a brick wall?  I know a lot of middle linebackers in the NFL who have.  The wall's name was Brandon Jacobs.  At 6'4" and 260+, there isn't another running back in the NFL better at short yard, goal-line situations.  Try and find a Giants highlight of Jacobs falling backwards after colliding with a defender....you can't.  Despite the "Earth, Wind, & Fire" rotation in NY's backfield, Earth still put up over 1,000 yards rushing, scored 15 times, and was 2nd in the league in yards per carry (at least 200 attempts) with 5.0 per touch, 2nd only to DeAngelo Williams.  If there is a RB in the NFL who personifies Fight For Every Yard, #27 from NYC is it.  Post your comments on the Madden NFL forum here.

  2008 Stat Line:  1,089 yards, 15 TDs

  2008 Fight For Every Yard moment:  "Earth" ran for 126 yards and 2 scores in week 10, leading the Giants to a 36-31 victory at divisional rival Philadelphia.

  Download Brandon Jacobs wallpapers here:

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  Adrian Peterson|RB|Minnesota Vikings|2 of 9

  Adrian Peterson is the heart and soul of the Minnesota Vikings.  Talk about fighting for every yard, AD fought for 1,760 of them in 2008, leading the league in only his 2nd year on the job, and almost single-handedly guiding the Vikings to the NFC North crown.  The ultimate combination of speed and power, Peterson has catapulted himself into super stardom and will be one of the faces of the NFL for several years to come.  If anyone can reach 2000 yards next season, it's Adrian Peterson.  How do you think a "purple people eater" would look on the cover of Madden NFL 10?  Post your comments on the Madden NFL forum here.

  2008 Stat Line:  1,760 yards, 10 TDs

  2008 Fight For Every Yard moment:  "All Day" ran for 192 yards and a score week 10 vs. divisional rival Green Bay.

  Download Adrian Peterson wallpapers here:

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  Ed Reed|S|Baltimore Ravens|1 of 9

  Sure, Ray Lewis is the undisputed team captain, but ask any QB in the NFL (see Chad Pennington) who they fear the most on the Ravens #1-rated defense, and they'll tell you it's Ed Reed. (From?  The U.)  Simply put, Ed Reed is a ball hawk.  He dominated opposing offenses last year, leading the league in interceptions with 9, including his NFL-record 107 yard TD return against Philly.  Not to mention his 2 picks in the Wildcard game at Miami, scoring yet again.  What do you think about Reed becoming only the 2nd defensive player to be on the cover?  Who was the first one again?  Oh yeah, Ray Lewis. Post your comments on the Madden NFL forum here.

  2008 Stat Line:  41 tackles, 9 INTs

  2008 Fight For Every Yard moment:  Reed picked off 2 passes in week 12 vs. the Eagles, returning one for an NFL-record 107 yards, breaking the previous record of 106 yards held by...Ed Reed.

  Download Ed Reed wallpapers here:

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