EA Sports has announced the latest members of its annual 99 Club, a designation for the highest-rated players in the Madden video game series. Among those celebrating selections, one major absence stands out: Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, who has been a consistent presence in the 99 Club for four of the last five years, was not included this year due to his recent performances. This decision highlights the ongoing debate around the Patrick Mahomes 99 Club Exclusion and its justification.
Chad Johnson Supports Mahomes’ Exclusion Citing Room for Improvement
Chad Johnson, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver and current Madden rater well known as Ochocinco, defended the choice to exclude Mahomes this year. On ESPN’s First Take, Johnson remarked that Mahomes’ rating as a 98 overall was reasonable given the circumstances. Johnson pointed out that while Mahomes did not have a poor season, missing out on a Super Bowl win indicated he showed some vulnerabilities.
He’s a 98, it’s not bad,
—Chad Johnson, Madden rater
He was in the 99 Club, obviously. He’s coming off of, not a poor season, but one where they didn’t win the Super Bowl. But he has a good chance that he’s not taking a step back or anything like that. They just have room for improvement. He has room for improvement. He showed that he is human.
—Chad Johnson, Madden rater
Super Bowl LIX and Mahomes’ Challenging Performance
Mahomes’ exclusion is further contextualized by his performance in Super Bowl LIX, where the Chiefs suffered a significant defeat. During the game, Mahomes was responsible for multiple turnovers, including a critical interception returned for a touchdown by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter. This momentum-shifting play contributed to the Chiefs falling behind by a 34-point margin late in the third quarter, the largest deficit Mahomes has experienced in his career.
Despite throwing late touchdown passes to DeAndre Hopkins and Xavier Worthy, Mahomes’ 11.4 QBR was among the lowest recorded in a Super Bowl since the metric’s 2006 introduction. This one-sided loss marked a noticeable dip in Mahomes’ otherwise stellar career performances.
Current Standing and Future Prospects for Mahomes in Madden
Despite this setback, Mahomes remains one of the NFL’s elite passers and retains a strong Madden rating just shy of the 99 Club threshold. With a 98 overall rating, he is poised for a potential return to the exclusive club in future game editions. However, this year’s late exclusion also means Mahomes will not receive a new 99 OVR chain and pendant from EA Sports, leaving the four awards already earned as his current badge of honor.
The Madden community and Chiefs fans can remain hopeful that Mahomes’ exceptional skills and anticipated improvements will secure his reinstatement in the 99 Club during next year’s Madden release cycle.