Madden NFL 2007 shipped in summer 2006 for the 2006 NFL season. Launch ratings are set before the season is played, so they reflect the previous year’s performance - a player’s breakout shows up in the next year’s game.
Madden NFL 07 released August 22, 2006 with Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander on the cover off his MVP year. The 99 club: Antonio Gates, Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, fullback Lorenzo Neal, Peyton Manning, punter Shane Lechler, and Walter Jones.
Indianapolis won Super Bowl XLI, 29-17 over Chicago in the rain, Peyton Manning named game MVP. LaDainian Tomlinson won regular-season MVP and Offensive Player of the Year with a record 31 total touchdowns and 1,815 rushing yards. Jason Taylor won Defensive Player of the Year, and Vince Young and DeMeco Ryans won the rookie awards.
Cover man Shaun Alexander broke his foot and fell from 1,880 yards to 896, a textbook Madden curse. Tomlinson was the inverse, putting up the greatest touchdown season the league had seen.