The launch of Madden 26 is nearly upon us, and EA Sports has begun to reveal player and team ratings. As always, the first iteration of the 99 Club has kicked off the ratings reveals. Madden 26 has seven members of the 99 Club to begin the season, and six of those members are on the offensive side of the ball. We also see an offensive lineman join the club, but it's not the lineman you might be thinking of.
Below, you can see each of the Madden 26 99 Club members and who might have been snubbed from the initial class.
Josh Allen - QB, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is one of two quarterbacks in the 99 Club at the start of Madden 26, and it's not hard to understand why. Allen is the reigning NFL MVP, putting up fantastic numbers in 2024 and leading the Bills to the AFC Championship game. While Buffalo still can't get over the Kansas City-sized hump that keeps giving them issues, Allen has become one of the most dependable players in the league. He's always going to put up at least a couple of hundred passing yards, a touchdown or two, and some amazing off-book rushing plays using his surprising speed.
It would be difficult to envision Allen being knocked out of the 99 Club during the course of the 2025 NFL season. However, Buffalo does look slightly vulnerable in the AFC East, and Allen doesn't have the best weapons available on offense. So, it's certainly worth watching to see if the team's performance will have any effect on Allen's ranking in Madden 26.
Saquon Barkley - RB, Philadelphia Eagles
It's only right that the Madden 26 cover athlete is a part of the 99 Club. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was not only a shoo-in for a 99 rating, but he's single-handedly responsible for a new mechanic being added to Madden. Like in Madden 25, you will be able to perform Saquon's signature backwards hurdle in Madden 26, which only adds to his resume for the 99 Club.
Saquon is one of two Philadelphia Eagles to be given an initial 99 rating, joining one of his offensive linemen. As long as the running back's second year with the reigning Super Bowl champs goes as well as his first, he'll stay in the 99 Club for the entire year.
Ja'Marr Chase - WR, Cincinnati Bengals
This Madden 26 99 Club seems to be grouping players into pairs, as Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is one of two LSU receivers to make the club. While you can likely figure out who the other LSU receiver is, Ja'Marr Chase is the first-ever Bengal to have a 99 rating in Madden. That's certainly a notable achievement given the Bengals have employed some stud players over the years, including Joe Burrow and A.J. Green.
Chase's best rating in Madden prior to his induction in the 99 Club was a 97 overall. If he doesn't want to drop back down to the rating, he'll have to have another big year alongside quarterback Joe Burrow and fellow star receiver Tee Higgins.
Myles Garrett - Edge, Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett is the lone defensive player in the Madden 26 99 Club. While you could certainly make a case for other defensive players, Garrett is absolutely deserving of this honor. He has been the most consistent edge rusher in the NFL for years, and this isn't his first time with a 99 rating to start the year. He was last in the 99 Club in Madden 23, but the Browns star has always been rated very highly by EA Sports.
It'll be interesting to see if Garrett is joined by any other defensive players in the club as the 2025 season goes on, or if he'll remain the only player with the double-9s rating on his side of the ball.
Lamar Jackson - QB, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson joins Josh Allen as the second quarterback in the 99 Club this year. Jackson definitely had a case against Allen in the 2024 NFL MVP race, putting up outstanding numbers through the air and on the ground for the Baltimore Ravens' explosive offense. Surprisingly, this is Jackson's first induction into the 99 Club. He wasn't even bestowed with the honor following his record-setting, unanimous MVP season in 2019, only receiving a 94 overall after being chosen as the cover athlete for Madden 21.
Since then, Jackson's highest Madden rating came in Madden 25, where he was a 98 overall. Now, in Madden 26, Jackson is rightfully given his long-awaited 99 overall.
Justin Jefferson - WR, Minnesota Vikings
As you might have guessed, Justin Jefferson is the other LSU wide receiver to join the 99 Club, joining Ja'Marr Chase. Unlike Chase, who joined the club for the first time in Madden 26, this is Jefferson's third time being given a 99 overall rating. This is the first time a Minnesota Viking player has joined the 99 Club three times. Jefferson last received the honor in Madden 24, as he dropped to a 98 overall in Madden 25.
However, now Jefferson is back where he belongs in Madden 26. Hopefully, his chemistry with new Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is as explosive as the one he developed with Sam Darnold last season.
Lane Johnson - OT, Philadelphia Eagles
Finally, we have our only offensive lineman in the Madden 26 99 Club. Philadelphia's long-standing right tackle Lane Johnson has made his first appearance in the 99 Club after consistently being a top-five offensive lineman for the past several Maddens. Johnson replaces San Francisco's Trent Williams as the only 99 overall offensive lineman. Previously, Williams had been a member of the 99 Club in both Madden 25 and 23.
Lane Johnson was a huge factor in the Eagles winning the Super Bowl in 2024, and his presence along the offensive line provides the utmost stability for quarterback Jalen Hurts and fellow 99 Club member Saquon Barkley. While his career is winding down, he's proven he hasn't lost a step.
99 Club Snubs
Now that we've covered the seven members of the Madden 26 99 Club, let's talk about a few of the snubs. There are especially some snubs on the defensive side of the ball, with Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt and Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II being the most notable players left out of the club. Over the past couple of years, EA Sports has reduced the number of defensive players with 99 ratings.
Madden 25 didn't even have any defensive players in the initial 99 Club, so it's not overly surprising to only see Myles Garrett join the club in Madden 26. Still, both Watt and Surtain II could have easily been a part of this year's class. Surtain II was even the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, so to not see him included is a surprise.
On the offensive side of the ball, there weren't any notable snubs. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey likely makes the club if he wasn't injured for a majority of the 2024 season, while quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn't put up the stellar numbers we're used to seeing from him. This is also the first time in a few years where no tight end has emerged as the absolute best in the NFL, as neither Travis Kelce nor George Kittle filled up the stat sheet in 2024. Perhaps a tight end such as Sam LaPorta or Brock Bowers gives themselves a chance at the 99 Club in 2025, but they weren't good enough for the club in Madden 26.
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