Saquon Barkley Praises Caleb Williams’ Rise After Madden NFL 27 Cover Reveal
Saquon Barkley knows what it takes to land on a Madden cover. Now he’s welcoming Caleb Williams to the club — and warning the rest of the NFC about what’s coming.
The Philadelphia Eagles running back, last year’s Madden NFL 26 cover athlete, sat down with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show this week to react to Williams earning this year’s honor. Williams’ signature jump-pass pose now headlines Madden NFL 27, making him the first Chicago Bears player in franchise history to grace the cover.
Barkley didn’t hold back.
“He’s a great player. I think it can get scary if he reaches the level where I think he can get to. Hopefully, it’s not anytime soon because he’s in the NFC,” Barkley told Kay Adams.
Barkley added that he’d never gotten the chance to personally congratulate Williams until now. “I wasn’t able to congratulate him. Caleb, congratulations on joining the fraternity. It’s a special group. I wish nothing but the best for you,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports.
Up & Adams shared the exchange on X: “It can get scary if he reaches the level where I think he can get to.”
“It can get scary if he reaches the level where I think he can get to.”
Saquon Barkley on passing the Madden cover torch to Caleb Williams 🤝@Eagles | @saquon | @CALEBcsw | @heykayadams | @EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/SeRAq2FPIi
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 7, 2026
A breakout season that earned the cover
Williams’ path to the cover started with a season that flipped the Bears’ fortunes. In his second year under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions, going 11-6 as a starter. Chicago rode that turnaround to its first NFC North title since 2018, according to the Chicago Bears’ official site.
The Bears beat the rival Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round before their season ended with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. Along the way, Williams delivered what EA Sports called the NFL Moment of the Year — a walk-off, game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass in overtime against Green Bay.
That throw, a leaping jump pass to Rome Odunze, is now frozen on the Madden 27 cover art.
Barkley and Williams meet again in Week 3
Barkley’s praise comes with an edge. He and the Eagles face Williams and the Bears in Week 3 of the 2026 season, a Monday Night Football matchup at Soldier Field on September 28, per the Bears’ official schedule. Barkley referenced that meeting directly in his conversation with Adams, according to Heavy.com, suggesting Chicago is a team Philadelphia will need to get through if the Eagles want to return to the Super Bowl picture.
| Category | Caleb Williams (2025) |
|---|---|
| Record as starter | 11-6 |
| Passing yards | 3,942 |
| Touchdowns / Interceptions | 27 / 7 |
| Playoff result | Won Wild Card, lost Divisional Round |
What’s next for both teams
Chicago opens the 2026 season on the road against the Carolina Panthers on September 13, per the Bears’ schedule, before hosting the Eagles two weeks later in prime time. Williams enters Madden NFL 27 with a 90 overall rating, according to ESPN, and said the cover honor was a “childhood dream” come true.
For Barkley, the message doubles as a scouting note to his own locker room: Williams is no longer a project quarterback. He’s the centerpiece of a franchise trying to build on a worst-to-first turnaround — and a name the rest of the NFC will need to account for.
