Madden was released for the first time on PC in 1988 during Jackson's second season in the NFL. But due to licensing problems and a hip injury during the Madden nfl 22 coins 90 NFL season, which forced him to take an early retirement from football. Jackson never appeared in Madden in his playing days. The year 2014 was the first time Jackson was able to make his Madden first appearance in Madden as a special edition player with the Ultimate Team game mode.

This week, EA Sports announced that not only will Jackson return to the game as he hasn't played after Madden NFL 15 however, Jackson will also be awarded the privilege of becoming an official Madden cover athlete. More than 35 years after his NFL career started around 1987 Jackson is set to grace the digital cover for Madden NFL 22. Beginning on Friday, players will once again be capable of playing with him in virtual reality. EA Sports also teamed up with Nike to re-create the sportswear company's famous Bo Knows ad campaign by adding a digitally rendered model of his iconic shoe which is which is the Nike Air Bo Turf, into the game.

Jackson is seventh running back named a Madden cover athlete. This follows Eddie George (Madden 2001), Marshall Faulk (Madden 2003), Shaun Alexander (Madden 2007), Peyton Hillis (Madden 12), Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders (both Madden 25).

Before the cover unveiling, the Undefeated's Aaron Dodson caught up with Jackson to discuss his Tecmo Bowl days, how Bo Knows came to life in his Madden return, and much more.

The conversation was edited for the clarity of it and its length.

What is it like for you that you are finally a cover player in the sport 35 years after the start of your career?

This has been in the works intermittently for several years. The time had to be perfect for my brand. In collaboration with the Madden people to get things sorted out, dot all the i's, cross the t'swhen we had that completed, the rest was just going along with it. I thought that somewhere in my past I'd done something right and buy Mut 22 coins could still be regarded as one of the legendary athletes from over thirty years ago. Madden believes in me to make a decision like this.