A little more than a year ago, Peyton Hillis was buried deep on the Denver Broncos depth chart.
Now, he's the Madden cover boy.
Hillis, who bruised his way to popularity with Cleveland Browns fans in 2010 with his punishing running style last season, has been chosen via fan vote to be on the cover of the newest edition of the popular football video game. His upset victory comes courtesy of rabid Browns fans who used various social media platforms to get the word out and stuff the digital ballot box.
Hillis was acquired by the Browns last spring in a trade for quarterback Brady Quinn. In his first season as a starter, he ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Eagles QB Michael Vick was the other finalist. Both emerged through a bracket-style competition held during the past month.
Hillis defeated Ray Rice, Matt Ryan, Jamaal Charles and Aaron Rodgers in prior rounds of voting. He becomes the first Browns player to grace the cover of the popular game, joining the likes of Marshall Faulk, Eddie George, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald.
Vick was on the cover when he was with the Falcons. He broke his leg in 2003 preseason after he was selected for the Madden 2004 cover and missed the first 11 games, lending credence to the belief of the "Madden curse" — a superstition Browns fans clearly care little about.
