The face of the NFL's future is now also the face of Madden.
Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson was revealed as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 21 on Tuesday.
"With style and swag uniquely his own, reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson dazzles on the new Madden NFL 21 cover as he does against the opposition on gameday," EA Sports wrote on its Madden website. "Dynamic agility and blazing speed make the Baltimore Ravens superstar QB untouchable in the open field. The face of a fearless new generation of rising NFL stars, Jackson has changed the game."
EA Sports posted a 1:30 sizzle reel that opened with an aerial shot of Las Vegas' new Allegiant Stadium and highlighted the new features coming to Madden 21, including an all-new skill stick to allow for better control of players on both sides of the ball, and improved gameplay mechanics to allow for more precise open-field tackling. Players will need it when facing Jackson, perhaps the only player whose real-life effectiveness is as unbelievable as his virtual counterpart's.
"If I had to describe how I play?" Jackson said in the video announcing him as the game's cover athlete. ... "You gotta see it to believe it."
With a new generation of consoles slated for this holiday season, EA has yet to release footage of its next-generation gameplay. Based on his play in his first two seasons, Jackson can be expected to be a weapon in the next generation of Madden for years to come.