Catching the ball is something that you have full control over in Madden NFL 26. While you can always just let your receiver’s AI catch the ball for you, that’s often not going to lead to the highest success rate. Instead, you usually want to use your receiver when they’re about to catch the ball, as this allows you to control them immediately after they catch it and even determine what type of catch they use to haul the ball in.
There are several different types of catches in Madden 26 that you need to be aware of. Each one has a separate use case that comes into play depending on what type of receiver you’re using, where the ball is thrown, and the situation in the game. Below, you can see a list that goes over every type of catch in Madden 26 and how to perform each one on the field.
How To Use Every Catch In Madden 26
There are roughly four different kinds of catches you can utilize with your receivers in Madden 26. This is in addition to the basic catch your receiver will perform if you don’t press any buttons while the ball is coming to them.
You can see all of these catches, the buttons needed to perform them, and the optimal situation for each one below.
Possession Catch
For starters, we’ll begin with the Possession Catch, which is one that you’ll use in a variety of different situations in Madden 26. The Possession Catch is used to safely catch the ball, as your receiver will fall to the ground after making the catch to ensure they’re not hit by any defenders. However, you can also use a Possession Catch to make a sideline grab if you want to keep your toes in bounds before catching the ball.
The best situation for a Possession Catch is when you just want to ensure you get the yardage you need. For example, on fourth down and two, you can use a Possession Catch on a short route to get the first down and not risk your receiver fumbling or dropping the ball. Possession Catches are also great for sideline catches when you’re trying to conserve the clock.
Here’s how to perform a Possession Catch:
- Press X on PlayStation or A on Xbox when you’re ready to make the catch
Aggressive Catch
Next up, we’ll cover the Aggressive Catch, which makes your receiver fight for the ball more than if you just let them catch the ball in a normal way. Aggressive Catches are best used to fight for a high-pointed ball or when your receiver is against tight coverage from one or two defenders.
You’ll often want to use an Aggressive Catch on deep passes against man coverage, as it’s rare that your receiver is wide open enough to not have to fight for the ball from a defender. You can best utilize Aggressive Catches with taller receivers, as they often have a higher chance of bringing the ball down due to their height.
Here’s how to perform an Aggressive Catch:
- Press Triangle on PlayStation or Y on Xbox when you’re ready to make the catch
Spectacular Catch
Perhaps the least-used catch in Madden 26 is the Spectacular Catch. This is how you make a one-handed catch, and you’ll need the perfect situation to pull off this catch. Due to the increased chance for drops with the Spectacular Catch, it’s recommended to only use it when your only chance at catching a ball is with a one-handed snag. You’ll also want to pair the catch with a receiver who has a high spectacular catch rating.
Here’s how to perform a Spectacular Catch:
- Press and hold L1 on PlayStation or LB on Xbox when you’re ready to make the catch
RAC Catch
The RAC Catch stands for “Run After Catch.” This is an underrated type of catch in Madden 26, as it allows you to bypass the standard delay that receivers often have after catching the ball. Instead of going slowly for a second after catching the ball, your receiver will speed away from the spot they caught the ball if you use the RAC Catch.
However, you’ll still want to be careful with the RAC Catch, as using it when there is a defender ready to hit you could result in a fumble. You also don’t want to use the RAC Catch near the sidelines, as your receiver could run straight out of bounds when you don’t want them to.
The catch is best used with a fast receiver who can take advantage of open field space. Of course, as long as a receiver has some room to run, you should be using the RAC Catch to ensure they can crank out some extra yards after the catch.
Here’s how to perform a RAC Catch:
- Press Square on PlayStation or X on Xbox when you’re ready to make the catch
And that does it for all of the different catch types in Madden 26 and how to perform them.
