EASportsMadden26 has released many of its player ratings ahead of the August 14 release date, and everyone’s upset regarding the player rating of number 1 NFL Draft pick, Cam Ward. Now, even ESPN has gotten involved.
It’s no secret that Madden ratings are a hot-button issue among the most die-hard NFL fans, and leading to what many fans would refer to as ‘MaddenSeason,’ the controversy is heating up before launch once again. For Madden 26, rookie ratings have hit the field to a wave of outrage, as the top prospect from college football has seemingly been “disrespected” and “embarrassed” by a low overall rating, according to analysts and fans on Reddit. That rating has boiled over into ESPN’s territory now.
Resident Madden ratings consultant and former NFL Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Chad ‘OchoCinco’ Johnson, stood by his decision in a podcast that aired Thursday, saying the young athlete has something to work towards during the season, and a high rating won’t stifle his on-field play now. On his Nightcap podcast with another retired NFL player, Shannon Sharpe, Johnson said, “I’m not saying that Cam Ward is not special, but listen, a 71 is justifiable, 71 is good. You don’t want to give them these great ratings, and then you have nothing to look forward to.”
Although Shannon Sharpe was let go by ESPN this week, that didn’t stop other hosts on ESPN from voicing their opinions on the matter, and both Ryan Clark and Stephen A. Smith have different views on the rating controversy.
ESPN Host Ryan Clark Has His Say On Cam Ward’s Madden 26 Rating
In a report published byAthlon Sports, ESPN hosts Ryan Clark and Stephen A. Smith briefly discuss the Madden 26 rating for rookie QB, Cam Ward. While Ryan Clark believes the rating is “offensive to everybody,” and compares the yet-to-play-a-single-snap player to multi-Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs QB, Patrick Mahomes. Stephen A. Smith refused to mention it, and took a shot at the entire Titans team by saying, “If I’m going to talk about a Tennessee Titan, it needs to be after they are winning games,” suggesting the Titans lose too often for it to be a discussion.
While it appears the discourse surrounding Madden 26 ratings has boiled over from the week, there’s only one thing left for Cam Ward to prove the ratings wrong, and that’s by playing good football. Where Stephen A. Smith is concerned, that doesn’t matter either; what does is whether the Titans win or lose.
