To an NFL player making millions (over $52 million on average annually in the case of Patrick Mahomes) and winning Super Bowls (three thus far in his already-decorated career), something like a rating in EA Sports's Madden NFL video game should be relatively trivial, right?
Think again. Madden ratings definitely matter on some level to NFL players, as evidenced by the Chiefs star quarterback's reaction when he was asked what he makes of his 95 rating in the latest iteration of the game.
"I like playing Madden, so I would like to be rated higher, but I've got to play and showcase that stuff on the field," Mahomes said Thursday. "I believe that if I go out there and play the football I want to play, we can get to 99 pretty quickly."
Mahomes was once a regular member of the so-called "99 Club", having owned one of the highest ratings in the game for each of the last four releases of Madden NFL. But Mahomes is the fourth-highest rated quarterback in Madden NFL 26, behind reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen, two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and two-time Pro Bowl selection Joe Burrow.
And while it may seem like just a video game rating, in some ways, Madden's lowered opinion of Mahomes's play is in lockstep with the court of public opinion—and the opinion of the Chiefs signal-caller himself.
Despite leading the team to a 15-1 record and its third straight Super Bowl appearance last season, Mahomes at times struggled as a passer—particularly on downfield throws—en route to recording a career-low 3,928 passing yards and career-low-tying 26 touchdown passes.
"There's stuff we've got to get better at," Mahomes told USA Today earlier in August. "Especially myself. There's plays on the football field that I didn't make last year, that I've made in previous years. At the end of the day, I'm going to do whatever it takes to win, whether that's passing for a lot of yards, not passing for a lot of yards.
"But I think if I play better, that's going to make it better for the team. So, I've got to be better at executing whenever the shots are there, making those throws. Because that's going to alleviate pressure on our defense and make them play more free and make the team play more free."
And whether the motivation comes from the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, from naysayers or from within, Mahomes seems to be driven as the start of the 2025 regular season inches closer.
If a locked-in Mahomes plays to his full capabilities in 2025, EA Sports may have to do some tinkering with his rating next summer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patrick Mahomes, Displeased With Madden NFL Rating, Knows How He Can Change It .
