In their initial ratings, EA Sports gets a lot wrong, and Madden 26 is looking to be no different. The Atlanta Falcons have several players properly rated, such as Jessie Bates and Bijan Robinson, who are among the team’s highest-rated players. And Tyler Allgeier’s 81 overall rating is pretty generous for a backup running back.
But where the game really screwed the pooch was in the quarterback room. Kirk Cousins was not overly impressive in 2024, but giving the Michigan State product a 73 overall rating—a number that is the same as Vikings’ quarterback JJ McCarthy—is flat out insane. He may no longer be elite, but his track record is still ahead of a rookie starter.
If Cousins’ rating was eyebrow raising, the real-jaw dropper came from second-year starter Michael Penix Jr. who received a baffling 74 overall rating. That’s the same as Justin Fields, who is undoubtedly worse than the 25-year-old. I understand Penix’s sample size is small, but the Washington product is going to make developers look foolish in a few month’s time.
Michael Penix Jr’s Madden rating is EA Sports’ most blasphemous
In 2024, the No. 8 overall pick started three games in 2024, throwing for 775 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. Those numbers don’t flash on the surface, but he showed glimpses of being the Dirty Birds’ long-term future under center—and has looked like the team’s most impressive signal-caller since prime Matt Ryan.
And he’s equipped with a strong group of weapons headlined by Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts that make him one of the most popular breakout picks in football in 2025. Yet the most disrespectful part about this rating? Starting slot receiver Ray-Ray McCloud was rated higher than the guy Atlanta is building their franchise around.
Yeah, McCloud posted career numbers a season ago, but remains a journeyman wideout who is best utilized as a return man. He’s played for five NFL teams in seven seasons and 2024 was the first time he posted above 300 receiving yards. That doesn’t exactly scream more valuable than the QB of the future.
Penix was a Heisman finalist, a top-10 draft pick, and one of the most accurate deep-ball throwers in football—yet EA Sports seems to think he’s barely above average. The production might not be there right now, but this will have them looking foolish come midseason.
Once again, Madden ratings are less about reality and more about fueling debate—and Falcons fans have every right to feel slighted