Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are both the cover athletes of ‘Madden 22’

Two quarterbacks are sharing the cover of Madden NFL for the first time, with Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes representing two concurrent eras of greatness at the position.

It marks the second time in three years Mahomes has been on the cover, last appearing solo in Madden NFL 20. It’s also the second time Brady has been the cover athlete, having the role on Madden NFL 18. The duo loved sharing the spotlight this year, in comments from Mahomes and Brady given to SB Nation from EA Sports.

“It’s been a great experience being on the cover of Madden NFL 22 with Patrick,” Brady said. “We both share a love for the game of football and to be a part of this iconic franchise is very special.”

Mahomes shared the same sentiment, saying he’s honored that he got to appear alongside Brady. “I, like most players in the League, have been a big fan of Madden NFL for as long as I can remember, and to be on the cover - not only for a second time, but also with Tom Brady, an all-time great - is surreal.”

The cover marks the second time in franchise history two players have shared the honor. The last dual cover came with Madden NFL 10, when Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald co-starred.

As for the game itself, the reveal trailer also dropped Thursday, and showed the mammoth leaps forward the game has taken in the last year.

Madden NFL 22 is the first game in the series built for the new generation of consoles, the Playstation 5 and XBox Series X/S. The biggest new feature added to this year’s game is an attempt to mimic the feel of NFL stadiums with, what EA is calling, “M-Factors.” These momentum-based boosts and perks will apply at various times during the game depending on the conditions. A close Monday night game in Seattle may result in the Seahawks getting an M-Factor late, boosting their performance, or rattling their opponents — indicative of the crowd noise at Lumen Field.

These boosts are unique to every stadium in the NFL, each with a unique way to boost the home team.

Of course, the obvious jump is also in the graphics department, with Madden NFL 22 taking huge leaps forward as a result of additional power from the new consoles. The wait won’t be long, with Madden NFL 22 set to release on August 20.