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The Madden video game is holding a 32-seeded tournament that will ultimately select who will be on next years cover. It's up to the fans to decide who is on the next cover. Vote here.
The tournament features three 49ers, all of whom are No. 1 seeds). Here are their first round matchups:
- No. 1 Colin Kaepernick vs. No. 16 Antonio Gates
- No. 1 Joe Montana vs. No. 16 Jake Delhomme
- No. 1 Jerry Rice vs. No. 16 Fred Taylor
The 49ers players should have no trouble advancing to the second round, but they will face tougher matchups as they advance further.
Here is the voting schedule:
- Round One: Ends March 20
- Round Two: March 20-27
- Round Three: March 27-April 3
- Quarterfinals: April 3-10
- Semifinals: April 10-17
- Finals: April 17- 24
We're about a month away from crowning a winner and if fans do their part, one of those Niners has a good chance at being on the cover. As we all know, Niners Nation is a very large community. If Peyton Hillis can be voted onto the cover, there is no reason why Kap, Joe, or Jerry can't do the same.
A lot of 49ers players play Madden. How do I know? They say so on Twitter. It would be fun for the guys if Colin made the cover. Last year, Patrick Willis and several teammates campaigned for P-Will to get a 99-rated hit power in the game, so you know they pay attention to things like this.
Yes, Madden is just a game. But it's a football game! It doesn't get any better than football. It can also teach people the game to a certain extent, while helping fans understand certain coverages and schemes. I've been playing Madden for about twenty years now, and Tecmo Super Bowl before that. I am not much of a video game fan, but I'll play Madden for the rest of my life.
And please don't seriously talk about a "Madden Curse". It is just superstition and folklore, nothing more. Do you really think a player being on the cover of a video game correlates with them suffering an injury in the most physical sport on the face of the Earth? Well, I hope you don't think that. There have been some injuries to players whom have graced the cover, but it is simply a coincidence.
We will have updates throughout the competition, so be sure to spread the word and get these 49ers far in this tournament!