EA Sports Names Caleb Willams 'Madden NFL 27' Cover, First For Bears
Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 05:20PM By Barry Janoff
June 4, 2026: Add another accolade to the growing resume of quarterback Caleb Williams.
EA Sports said that Williams would appear on covers of Madden NFL 27, making him the first player in Chicago Bears history to do so.
Madden NFL 27 is scheduled to be released worldwide Aug.13, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
New features coming to Madden NFL 27 were revealed today.
"When I received the call from Madden, it was like my childhood dream was coming true,” Williams said via EA Sports. “Being on the cover of Madden NFL 27 is a full circle moment.
“I grew up playing Madden and imagining what it would be like to be part of the game. I know fans are going to love what’s new in this year’s game, and I’m looking forward to getting my rating up to a 99 by the end of the season.”
Williams said he spent about five hours on a production lot in Los Angeles shooting the Madden NFL 27 covers.
Williams appears on the Standard Edition cover showcasing his signature jump pass, while the Deluxe Edition cover features his iconic celebration that granted him the “Iceman” nickname.
"Caleb Williams is what a true Face of the Franchise looks like — the culmination of many moments in the Chicago Bears' incredible history that has led them to their electric, generational quarterback," Evan Dexter, vp-franchise strategy and marketing, said via EA Sports.
"Madden NFL 27 aims to put more of those critical moments and key management decisions, with meaningful consequences that echo across the NFL, in the hands of our players so that they can build a league that's truly their own. Just like Caleb, the future of football in Madden NFL 27 is thrilling and more dynamic than ever before."
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Bears, which were 5-12 during his rookie campaign.
They then went 11-6 in 2025 en route to just their third playoff appearance since the 2010 season. They won their first NFC North division title since 2018 and their first playoff victory since 2010.
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Williams enters the 2026season with a 90 overall rating in the game after throwing for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns last season, setting the Chicago Bears' single-season franchise record for passing yards.
Regarding being named cover athlete. "I went upstairs [at Halas Hall] and hung out with [chief administrative officer] Ted [Crews] and [president and CEO] Kevin [Warren], and they ended up popping it up on me and telling me that I was going to be the cover athlete," Williams told ChicagoBears.com. "I was super excited, super juiced. Excited to be the first Bear to be a part of this and the cover athlete.
"It's something like a wishing star, a shooting star, a dream come true. It's all of the above. Everything and more."
EA Play members can run the league one decision at a time in Madden NFL 27 with the EA Play ten-hour Early Access trial, starting Aug. 6, 2026; EA Play Pro members can play the EA Play Pro Edition starting Aug. 10, 2026.
Members also score recurring monthly Ultimate Team Packs, as well as receive 10% off MVP+ Membership, EA digital content including pre-orders, game downloads, Season Passes, Madden Football Points and DLC.
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