It’s one of the best debates at this time of the year. As NFL organizations prepare for their summer break before training camp, EA comes out with the latest Madden video game and subsequently unveils the new “99 Club” ratings.
Whether it’s the top quarterback in the game or the best defensive player, EA is always very selective about who it gives the coveted 99 rating to before the start of the new season.
Today, we predict who those players will be.
Which Players Will Have a 99 Rating?
There’s never a perfect science to determining how many players will be named to the coveted 99 Club in Madden. In 2023, six players made the cut, and some are returning on our projected list.
In 2022, that number was just four.
EA is very particular when deciding which players belong on this historic list. Some All-Pros who were on it one year may not be the next. It’s a very subjective list based on metrics of being cool over anything else.
So without further ado, let’s predict the players who will join (or return) to the club this season in Madden NFL 25.
Patrick Mahomes
There isn’t a more obvious pick of a player to be on the 99 Club than Patrick Mahomes. The three-time Super Bowl champion is at the top of his profession without a true rival to compete with him for championships.
Any number thrown out is irrelevant. This is a foregone conclusion that Mahomes will have another year as the league’s top-rated player.
The only way Mahomes is left off the list is if EA is trying to boost sales by drawing controversy to the game and the player ratings.
There’s simply no quarterback who deserves a higher ranking right now than Mahomes.
Tyreek Hill
Leading the league in both yards (1,799) and touchdowns (13) should be more than enough to put Hill in this club, right?
Jokes aside, Hill is the best player on the Miami Dolphins and is well-considered the fastest receiver in league history. He is as consistent as they come and is well on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Much like Mahomes, Hill’s inclusion in the 99 Club seems like a foregone conclusion. Should it not happen, it will seem like a push from EA to try and put some controversial ratings out to bring some more attention to the game.
Justin Jefferson
Outside of Hill, there’s really no other receiver as deserving of being on the 99 Club than Jefferson. The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings may have only played 10 games in 2023, but he still tallied 68 catches for over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns. The averages would come out close to his NFL-leading numbers from 2022.
There may not be a more complete receiver than Jefferson.
If Madden tries to choose between Jefferson and Hill, the Minnesota All-Pro could be left off. But we find that hard to believe.
Zack Martin
Another returner on this list, Martin has been the league’s best offensive guard since he was drafted in 2014. He played in 15 games last season and helped the Dallas Cowboys‘ offense continue its run of top-five showings in most categories.
Martin may be 33 years old and contemplating retirement, but as a legacy pick, his spot in the 99 Club seems secure.
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Like Mahomes and Jefferson, it’s hard to see how Martin is left off this list. But being in the twilight of his career and thinking about retirement may dock him a point or two with the committee.
Myles Garrett
The Cleveland Browns made the playoffs last season, and a big reason for that was the heroics of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Garrett recorded 14 sacks for the Dog Pound and forced four fumbles in 16 games. He was simply one of the most dominant defensive players last season and more than deserving to win the award over other top players like T.J. Watt and Nick Bosa.
As the player with the highest defensive honor last year, Garrett is deserving of the highest Madden honor.
Madden isn’t always kind to award-winners, even when they are coming off dominant seasons.
That could happen with Garrett and other stars like Watt and Bosa. I don’t foresee EA naming two different edge defenders to the 99 Club, and to add some intrigue, keeping Garrett off the list would be a way to garner more publicity.
Micah Parsons
Has a defensive player ever had the kind of three-year run to start his career that Micah Parsons has? The Defensive Player of the Year finalist recorded a career-high 14 sacks and 64 tackles while used more as an edge rusher than a true linebacker.
Parsons is one of the three best defensive players in the game today and should be deserving of the coveted honor.
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As dominant as Parsons has been, the defensive weapon seemed to lose steam late in the year for a Cowboys defense that got shredded down the stretch and in their playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Parsons is an elite defensive presence, though, and is more than deserving to be the league’s top-rated linebacker.
Sauce Gardner
Seven players may seem like a stretch for the 99 Club, but Gardner is just as deserving and dominant as any other player on the list. Historically, he is on his own path.
Gardner remains the only secondary player since the NFL merger to be a first-team All-Pro player in each of his first two seasons. He has ranked among the best in the league in coverage snaps and passer rating allowed.
There’s simply no corner that currently stacks up to Gardner.
The only reason Gardner may not hit close to the 99 Club is the lack of interceptions in his two-year run. The former fourth-overall pick has just two career picks and none from the 2023 season. It shouldn’t be the barometer, but it definitely could be.
