Lamar Jackson will be the cover athlete in the NFL video game Madden 21. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback earned the honor after winning a record season. He set a record for most rushing yards as a quarterback and became the second player to be unanimously awarded the regular season MVP. However, despite being the face of Madden 21, Jackson expects some difficulties when the game hits stores a few weeks before the 2020 NFL season begins.
Lamar Jackson finds Madden 40-yard dash difficult
At the time of its 2018 draft, the Louisville prospect refused to participate on the board. This is because he was upset about being considered a wide receiver. He later shared that he could have made the distance in 4.3 seconds. However, virtual wrestling is something for many, including the 23-year-old.
Sports nation tweeted a video via @theeblackbadger, which appears to show the combination. Here, the virtual athlete wobbles, stops, starts, regains his balance but darts toward the finish line similar to short sprinters. Eventually, the character manages to cross with a horrendous 6 second time.
Like most gamers, the user grabs the controller while wondering what else it could have done. Lamar Jackson watched the video and offered his support. In doing so, he let it slip that virtual sprints are also a chore for him. Tweeted “I thought Thiz was just me.”
🤦🏾♂️I thought Thiz Waz just me https://t.co/v5YV1o0MDW
– Lamar Jackson (@ Lj_era8) June 23, 2020
One wonders if the Ravens quarterback will get some sort of special feature, allowing his virtual runs to feel more like real-life sprints.
Last week, Jackson retweeted multiple versions of the cover image, calling it a “A dream come true.”
When Jackson enters his third season, he’ll want to make sure Madden’s curse doesn’t hit him. He hopes to emulate the trajectory of Madden 20 cover star Patrick Mahomes and lift the Vincent Lombardi trophy in February.
Until then, however, Baltimore Ravens rivals can live with the knowledge that Jackson struggles with sprints, albeit in the virtual world. Can Tom Brady challenge the 23 year old here and rescind his inline skating challenge?
Who else shares the game’s 40-yard dash? “impossible?”
