When it comes to the football field, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is one of the most dangerous threats in the NFL. Megatron is on the cover of EA Sports Madden NFL 13 this year, which means he’s the latest potential victim for the Madden curse. Johnson took a quick timeout to talk video games and the virtual gridiron in the exclusive video interview below.

Gamers can now live the NFL dream through some of the legends of the gridiron. From John Madden to Jerry Rice, EA Sports has included retired greats and challenges players to forge their virtual careers. Connected Careers offers a henever you want, wherever you want fully interactive, social online experience. Create your personal legacy or relive an all-time legend’s as you build the ultimate franchise as a coach, an NFL superstar, or yourself. Manage your team from your console, the web, or mobile phone in a 24/7 world as NFL insiders and experts analyze, praise, and criticize every move along the way. NFL analyst and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin talks about Madden NFL 13 in this exclusive video interview below.

With the virtual football season now officially kicked off with one of EA Sports most popular franchises, Madden NFL 13, Electronic Arts and Virgin Gaming are gearing up for the return of the EA SPORTS™ Challenge Series Powered by Virgin Gaming.  Supporting Madden NFL 13, NHL 13 and FIFA Soccer 13, the tournament with one of the biggest prize pool in sports video gaming is hosting its second annual competition to determine who the most skilled sports gamers in the world are. Beginning September 11, 2012, exclusively on the PlayStation 3, participants will compete online in qualifying rounds to earn their seat in the live finals and their shot at $1,000,000 in cash prizes. Entry into the tournament is free for all participants that purchase their copy of Madden NFL 13, NHL 13 or FIFA Soccer 13 at GameStop.

Alison Sweeney made a name for herself as Sami Brady Hernandez on the NBC soap operat “Says of Our Lives.” But prime time NBC viewers know her as the host of “The Biggest Loser.” Gamers know Sweeney from her work with EA Sports Active, the fitness game that used Wii and Kinect to help get people in shape. Sweeney took to the football field in another NBC special, the EA Sports Madden NFL 13 Pigskin Pro Am, in Chicago. She talks about Madden, fitness and gaming in the exclusive video interview below.

With the virtual NFL season scheduled to kick off on August 28 with the launch of EA Sports Madden NFL 13, former Boise State standout and current Chicago Bears rookie defensive end Shea McClellin was able to review the game before anyone else (outside of journalists). He has a new blog on the NFL Players Association-ensdorsed site www.sotl.com/players/blog/4484/shea-mcclellin. McClellin talks NCAA Football 13, Madden 13 and video games in this exclusive video interview below from the 2012 NFL Draft.

EA SPORTS’ Madden NFL 13 Ratings Reveal concludes after four weeks of frenzied fan voting. Ending with defenders, the fans have decided that the San Francisco 49ers’ Patrick Willis will have the best tackling ability and hit the hardest; Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets is the best cover man and the Arizona Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson is the fastest on defense.

CHICAGO – Chicago Bears star Lance Briggs has done it all on the field. But at Grant Park, he took to the sidelines as coach of the Famers in the EA Sports Madden NFL 13 Pigskin Pro Am. The Pro Bowler was coaching future Hall of Famer Brett Favre in a flag football game in front of NBC cameras. Briggs talks about football, Madden and video games in this exclusive video interview below.

CHICAGO – Jerry Rice was back on the football field in front of a live audience with NBC cameras capturing the action. Everyone can watch the annual EA Sports Madden NFL 13 Pigskin Pro Am on NBC on August 28. Rice is also featured in the new Madden video game. He talks gaming and football in the exclusive video interview below.

For a long time, EA Sports has been criticized for releasing yearly additions of Madden to its audience. Problems that have existed in the franchise have plague the franchise until now. Madden 13 releases on the brink of a new console generation and Tiburon Studios pulled out all the fireworks to go out in style. Madden 13 thoughtout everything that was dragging the series down, resulting in one of the most complete sports games in this console generation.   

Managing Madden has never been so easy.  EA Sports will unveil the first Madden Connected Career website when Madden NFL 13 hits the shelf on Aug. 28 across multiple platforms. The Connected Career website will act as a personal team hub that will track your progress and stats of the games you've played. It will also compare your progress on the legacy leader boards against other players and even the careers of such NFL legends as Rice, Payton, Montana and even Madden himself.  

EA SPORTS has launched the Madden NFL 13 Ratings Reveal on the official Madden NFL 13 Facebook page. The four-week campaign will allow fans to vote on which NFL players epitomize attributes like speed, elusiveness, hit power and more. The winner of each vote will be the highest-rated player for that attribute at their position in Madden NFL 13. Washington Redskins quarterback and NCAA Football 13 cover athlete Robert Griffin III talks video games in the exclusive video interview below.