Saquon Barkley’s Viral Reverse Hurdle in LeBron 4 Cleats Graces The Cover of Madden 26
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While the NFL season is still months away, gamers and fans of football are prepping for the next entry in the long-time football video game franchise Madden, Madden 26. Ignoring the Madden cover curse, being placed on the cover is one of the highest honors in the sport, and for this year’s release, Philadelphia Eagles superstar running back Saquon Barkley has been selected. The photo EA Sports chose? The iconic reverse hurdle Barkley hit over Jacksonville Jaguars’ cornerback Jarrian Jones.
In the photograph, you can see the player-exclusive metallic silver Nike LeBron 4 cleats that Saquon wore during the game and in multiple instances throughout the 2024 NFL season. After this viral moment, Nike released a t-shirt featuring a close-up photo of Barkley rocking the cleats, and even LeBron chimed in on being attached to this play. "He had my kicks on. I was like, oh my goodness,” said James on the Pat McAfee show earlier this year.
“Starring on the cover of Madden NFL 26 and being named to the Madden NFL ‘99 Club’ are both dreams come true,” said Barkley. “I’m grateful to my teammates, coaches, and Eagles fans for their support, and I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.”
Image via Nike
While the Nike LeBron 4 has appeared in cleat form multiple times, including an Eggplant-inspired pair exclusively for Ohio State and a publicly released Fruity Pebbles version, the metallic silver pair worn by Barkley remains exclusive to the Eagles RB.
However, Barkley is about to release his own Nike Alpha Menace 4 Elite cleats later this week in a similar black and metallic silver colorway. Those interested in Madden 26 can stay tuned to EA Sports’ social media for more reveals of gameplay features later this week. The game itself will release August 14, 2025. To stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world, download the Sole Retriever mobile app.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
