Josh Allen becomes first Bills player on cover for Madden 24 video game

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen will be the newest NFL star on the cover of the popular video game Madden 24, Electronic Arts announced Wednesday.

The game will be in stores in August.

The 27-year-old Allen is the first Bills player to grace the Madden video game and will be entering his sixth NFL season after being selected by Buffalo as the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

"It's a bit of a surreal feeling for sure," Allen told USA TODAY Sports. "You know, getting to the league is the only thing that's ever really crossed my mind. But going back to a kid, obviously, Madden was what I played growing up is actually how I learned the game of football. So to be able to grace the cover of Madden, I'm just happy to be able to be the first Bill to do it.

"I know my teammates will be pumped up about it. Madden, it's so iconic. It really is football culture and, you know, I just love the opportunity to do this and I'm blown away. You know, words can't do it justice. I think Bills Mafia is going to be very excited about this."

Last season, Allen completed 63% percent of his passes for 4,283 yards with 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, as he finished third in the MVP balloting behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

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Who has been on previous Madden video game covers?

2001 – Eddie George

2002 – Dante Culpepper

2003 – Marshall Faulk

2004 – Michael Vick

2005 – Ray Lewis

2006 – Donovan McNabb

2007 – Shaun Alexander

2008 – Vince Young

2009 – Brett Favre

2010 – Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald

2011 – Drew Brees

2012 – Peyton Hillis

2013 – Calvin Johnson

2014 – Barry Sanders and Adrian Peterson

2015 – Richard Sherman

2016 – Odell Beckham Jr.

2017 – Rob Gronkowski

2018 – Tom Brady

2019 – Antonio Brown

2020 – Patrick Mahomes

2021 – Lamar Jackson

2022 – Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes

2023 – John Madden

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bills' Josh Allen graces Madden 24 video game cover