http://www.thefreedictionary.com/curse
You ask/say if the curse isnt real...?
b. The evil or misfortune that comes in or as if in response to such an appeal:
The in or as in response is to being on the cover of Madden players will either during that season be injured, play poorly, lose face(publicly), and it may not just be for that season. Some players are affected for the next several seasons...Just saying by definition of curse and applying as such doesnt that mean it applies?
I believe there is a curse and I feel sorry if Fitz is on the cover because he was making such amazing strides.