Madden 26's Franchise mode once again brings back the tags and motivations system, and you should be paying a lot of attention to how they work.
Not every athlete develops in the same fashion in Franchise mode. This will primarily depend on their in-game stats and how much in-game experience they gain, but also depend on their motivations and tags. In Madden 26, the tags logic have been modified to large extent, so let's take a look at them first.
All player Tags in Madden 26 Franchise mode
Every athlete in the Franchise mode reacts differently to certain situation. This is determined by their tags. While the tags so far in my research appear to be same in terms of options, their in-game roles have changed.
| Tags | Effect |
|---|---|
| Award Winner | Free Agents who have won season-end rewards will have higher demand from teams. |
| Bridge Player | Starters with this tag could go down in the depth chart eventually, and teams will try to seek out their replacements. Will be applied to non-QB starters with 80 overall rating or less, and at least 27 years old. This will make such players more replaceable by younger talents as squads refresh their rosters. |
| Bridge QB | Bridge Player tag, but for the QB position. This year, the tag will only be applied to starters who have been playing in the NFL for at least four years and are among the bottom-10 starting QBs in terms of their overall ratings. |
| Day 1 Starter | Players with this tag will likely develop into star players, and they can start over older players even if the latter have better overall ratings. Unlike last year, this will be assigned to players drafted in the first couple of rounds, and will have expected overall ratings. The badge will be applied more accurately in Madden 26. |
| Franchise QB | This tag is used to denote the best QBs in the NFL. |
| Future Starter | These players have better chances of replacing older players, and receive more XP from training to aid their development. This tag will be applicable for all non-QBs with league experience of four years or more, drafted in either the first or second round, and have overall ratings applicable for starters, but can't make it past the bench. |
| Mentor | Mentors help teammates gain more XP on a weekly basis if they share the same position. This tag is assigned to older players who have the Leader personality type. |
| QB of the Future | It's the Day One Starter tag, but for QBs. This year, the tag will usually be applied to players you would expect to receive a similar status in real life. |
| Trade Target | Athletes with this tag are likely going to be put on the trading block. In case of veterans, teams will check their goals before assigning this tag and putting them on the trade block. This tag will be very rarely applied to younger players. |
All player Motivations in Madden 26
Motivations are like additional traits that determine how an athlete will react to developing situations in your Franchise save.
| Motivations | Effects |
|---|---|
| Big Market | Player wants to play in a region that has a big market. |
| Close to Home | Player wants to play for a team located close to their hometown. |
| Head Coach Historic Record | Player wants to play for a coach with a proven winning record. |
| Highest Offer | Player wants to play for the team that can offer him the biggest salary. |
| Historic Championships | Player wants to play for a team that has won the Championship at least once in the past. |
| Mentor at Position | Players want to play for a team that has a mentor for his position. |
| No Income Tax | Player wants to play for a team located in a state where there's no income tax. |
| Scheme Fit | Player wants to play for a team where he fits their scheme. |
| Super Bowl Chase | Player wants to play for a team with a realistic shot at winning the Super Bowl. |
| Team has Franchise QB | Player wants to play for a team with a Franchise QB. |
| Top of the Depth chart | Player wants to play for a team where he will be the top pick on the depth chart. |
| Warm Weather State | Player wants to play for a team situated in a place with nice weather. |
The post All player tags and motivations in Madden 26 Franchise Mode appeared first on Destructoid.
