Is the Madden Curse Real?

I'm not a superstitious person by any stretch of the imagination - I don't toss salt over my shoulder, I step on sidewalk cracks, and I'd probably step on the foul line if I was a baseball player. Despite not believing in superstitions and jinxes, the Madden Curse has been pretty consistent throughout the years. The Madden Curse (similar to the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx) refers to an injury or poor performance of the players featured on the cover of John Madden. Here's a look at some of the players featured on the cover:

2001: Eddie George (injuries and an all time rushing low)
2002: Daunte Culpepper (season ending knee injury)
2003: Marshall Faulk (ankle injury & team missed the playoffs)
2004: Michael Vick (broken leg)
2005: Ray Lewis (torn hamstring)
2006: Donovan McNabb (sports hernia)
2007: Shaun Alexander (broken foot)

2008: Vince Young (leg injury & a dismal 17 interceptions)
2009: Brett Favre (torn biceps tendon which derailed the Jets season)
2010: Troy Polamalu (sprained MCL knee injury)

Hopefully nothing happens to Larry Fitzgerald, who shares the cover with Polamalu on John Madden NFL 10.