Odell Beckham Jr. wins ‘Madden NFL 16’ cover; not worried about curses

Game on.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will become the youngest player to appear on the cover of “Madden NFL 16,” edging out New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski for the honor.

The result of fans’ voting was announced Wednesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after both players were interviewed about their standout performances during the 2014 season.

“Man I just personally wanna thank all the love and support from everybody for voting today !! It’s mean so much to be on the cover of Madden,” Beckham tweeted after the announcement.

In his rookie season, the 22-year-old Beckham had 91 receptions for 1,305 years and 12 touchdowns, including what is considered one of the greatest one-handed catches in NFL history when scoring a touchdown against Dallas.

Last season, Super Bowl champion Gronkowski had 82 receptions for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. “Gronk” is considered a fan favorite for his on-field performances as well as his sometimes outrageous antics off the field.

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was on the cover of “Madden NFL 15.”

Scoring the cover of the immensely popular video game is seen by fans as both a blessing and a curse.

While the cover is an honor, past recipients have ended up getting hurt the following season, particularly Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, or having poor seasons, such as Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Titans quarterback Vince Young and Browns running back Peyton Hillis.

Still, Beckham said he isn’t worried.

“A curse is something that people wish upon someone,” Beckham told Uninterrupted after the announcement. “I don’t believe there is such thing as a Madden curse.”

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