The Chicago Bears quarterback Calleb Willaim has become the face of the Madden 27 video game, a decision that disappointed some fans.

Williams became the first Bears player to land on the video game cover. The clip of Williams being on the cover leaked on Saturday. EA Sports announced the news on Wednesday and released two cover posters ahead of the game's August 13 launch.

"When I received the call from Madden, it was like my childhood dream was coming true," Williams said in a statement released by EA Sports. "Being on the cover of 'Madden NFL 27  is a full-circle moment.”

One of the reasons EA Sports chose William for Madden 27 is his impactful performance last season, where he recorded 3,942 passing yards with 27 touchdowns.

In recent years, EA Sports has spread the spotlight across several of the NFL's biggest names, from quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen to running backs Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey.

Since Patrick Mahomes shared the Madden NFL 22 cover with Tom Brady, no Kansas City player has managed to reclaim the honor

Williams disclosed on the New Heights podcast by Travis and Jason Kelce that old Michael Jordan Nike ads inspired his jump throw photo.

“Him doing his Air Jordan (thing) with the skyline behind it,” Williams added. “I wanted to do the football, kinda bring it back 30 years later, however many years later.”

But where the Bears quarterback believed that the 'fans are going to love it,' the viral poster resulted in a very different discussion among the fans.

NFL World Reacts to Madden 27 Cover

The cover reveal created debate among fans online. Some criticized both the design and the decision to feature Williams on the cover.

Several fans felt the artwork failed to capture the significance of the moment, while others questioned whether the quarterback had done enough in his career to earn the honor.

"This legit looks s***," one user posted. "Whoever made this needs to be fired."

Others felt the overall design was simply not great at all.

"This cover looks awful and I’m not even trying to be mean," a fan noted on X.

Some NFL fans even compared the latest cover to other editions to express their disappointment.

"I’m sorry but this gotta be the worst cover OAT," another user commented.

The cover, taking inspiration from Michael Jordan imagery, became a talking point. Some fans felt the creative team relied too much on a familiar concept instead of creating something unique for Williams.

"They just copied MJ?" a commenter asked. "They couldn’t do something different?"

The criticism goes beyond the artwork itself. Some fans argued that Williams received the recognition too early and believed other players were more deserving of the spotlight.

"Guess you don't have to earn anything these days," one critic argued. "The guy isn't even the best QB in his draft class what a joke."

Not everyone shared the same view. But that being said, only a few defended both Williams and the cover design.

They praised the Chicago skyline featured in the background and felt it added a strong connection to the city and its fan base.

"This cover goes incredibly hard," one supporter celebrated. "EA actually cooked with the skyline backdrop."

If EA Sports were reading your comment, what would you have said about this cover choice? Let us know!

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote