Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Madden 26 QB Ratings Spark Debate – Fans Question Rookie Disrespect & Celebrate 99 Club Icons

Madden 26 QB ratings cause debate among NFL fans.

Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

With EA Sports’ Madden NFL 26 now released ahead of its August 14 launch date, its annual ratings reveal has once again stirred passionate debates across the football community. As expected, quarterback rankings took center stage, with elite veterans celebrated, rookies scrutinized, and online forums buzzing with reactions ranging from outrage to approval.

Top 10 Madden 26 quarterbacks: pic.twitter.com/KxN74r9CC8
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 31, 2025

Madden 26 QB Ratings Fuel Reactions from Cheers to Outrage

At the top, the game’s coveted 99 Club features Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Buffalo’s Josh Allen, both dominant forces last season. Allen narrowly edged Jackson for MVP and defeated him in the playoffs, boasting 40 total touchdowns. Yet, both remain top-tier options in Madden, combining dynamic passing with dual-threat explosiveness.

Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes round out the 90+ club. Burrow, despite missing the playoffs, threw for 43 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards. Mahomes, meanwhile, dipped to a 95 OVR, a four-point drop from his former 99 rating, and is leading the Chiefs to a third straight Super Bowl appearance.

Veterans Matthew Stafford (88), Jared Goff (87), and Baker Mayfield (85) fill out the high 80s. Mayfield’s rating, in particular, sparked confusion after throwing 41 touchdowns and racking up 4,500 yards. Critics, however, pointed to his league-leading 16 interceptions and 13 fumbles as justification for the modest OVR.

Madden 26 rookie QB ratings:

72 — Cam Ward
68 — Jaxson Dart
68 — Tyler Shough
67 — Shedeur Sanders
66 — Dillon Gabriel
66 — Kyle McCord
65 — Riley Leonard
65 — Jalen Milroe
64 — Will Howard

The rookie QB disrespect is genuinely insane. pic.twitter.com/OrDZltbja9
— CanesMuse (@canes_muse) July 30, 2025

Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts’ 86 rating drew surprise, considering he’s the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Though his passing stats were modest, his 32 total touchdowns and elite playoff efficiency (20 TDs, 4 turnovers in nine postseason games) prompted fans to question whether his role in a stacked Eagles squad was being unfairly downplayed.

But it’s the rookie ratings that ignited the loudest backlash. Miami’s Cameron Ward, the top-rated rookie quarterback at just 72 OVR (later changed to 82), threw for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns in college last season. Reddit users called the rating “disrespectful,” especially compared to past No. 1 picks like Caleb Williams (76) and Trevor Lawrence (74). Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough followed at 68, highlighting EA’s conservative approach toward first-year QBs this cycle.

Madden NFL 26 rookie ratings:

– Travis Hunter: 84
– Ashton Jeanty: 81
– Mykel Williams: 78
– Tetairoa McMillan: 77
– Cam Skattebo: 73
– Cam Ward: 71 😳

Full rookie list comes out later today…pic.twitter.com/XTkCY0Pmk4
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 30, 2025

Still, the ratings are fluid. EA Sports updates them weekly throughout the NFL season. If Jayden Daniels, already a top-10 QB in-game, continues his ascent, others like Ward may see their virtual stock rise quickly.

Mandatory Image Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Cam Ward

Jalen Hurts

Josh Allen

Lamar Jackson

Patrick Mahomes

Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.