Atlanta Falcons All-Pro Quarterback Michael Vick Joins the EA SPORTS Team With Madden NFL 2004 Cover

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 1, 2003--Michael Vick, the All-Pro quarterback from the Atlanta Falcons and one of the most electrifying and exciting players in the NFL, has reached an agreement with Electronic Arts Inc., the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, to be the EA SPORTS(TM) cover athlete and spokesman for Madden NFL(TM) 2004.

"What an honor to be on the cover of the best NFL franchise, Madden NFL 2004," said Vick. "This is the game that everyone wants to be associated with at some point in their NFL career and I am excited that my opportunity has come so early in my career. I have always been a Madden NFL Football fan and I'm excited to be working with EA SPORTS on my favorite game." Vick's image will appear on all Madden NFL 2004 packaging and merchandising and he already contributed his expertise during a design session with the producers of the videogame at EA's development studios in Florida.

Vick was the youngest quarterback to start in the NFL during the 2002 season and was only the sixth quarterback to be voted into the Pro Bowl in his first year as a starter since 1970. In his first two seasons he has run for more yards (1,066) than any other quarterback in NFL history and established four NFL records during the 2002 season including most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback with 173 yards at Minnesota in December.

The Madden NFL(TM) franchise is in its 14th year, and last year's version, Madden NFL 2003, sold more than four million units on six different platforms. Madden NFL 2004 will be available on the PC, the PlayStation®, the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox (TM) video game system from Microsoft, the Nintendo GameCube(TM), and the Game Boy® Advance in August.