NFL Alumni Madden Ratings Adjustors to Appear in Coverage Throughout the Week

After a successful debut in 2020, ESPN today announced plans to once again host Madden Ratings Week from July 26 to 30, revealing the player ratings for the latest edition in the EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL franchise, Madden NFL 22, launching worldwide on August 20, 2021.

The week kicks off with a SportsCenter special hosted by Laura Rutledge and Mina Kimes on Sunday, July 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, before shifting to coverage across ESPN’s studio shows throughout the week. Players in the Madden NFL 22 “99 Club” (those rated 99 overall, the highest rating possible in the game) will be revealed during Get Up each morning and the top ten players from several positions will be discussed daily on First Take, SportsCenter and NFL Live.

“The annual release of the new Madden is a kind of national holiday for NFL fans – they love it, the players love it and we love being able to partner with EA on this weeklong event,” said Andy Tennant, senior coordinating producer for ESPN’s Madden Ratings. “Our coverage will be replete with analysis and behind-the-scenes storytelling about the making of the latest edition of the most iconic sports video game ever. If you play, if you’re thinking about playing, we’ve got you covered.”

All of the excitement will culminate in a SportsCenter special breaking down the ratings process on Friday, July 30 at 7 p.m. on ESPN, where Louis Riddick and Mina Kimes will interview players and reveal additional ratings. New this year, NFL alumni ratings adjustors, like Chad Johnson, Marshawn Lynch and Alex Smith, will be part of the coverage, helping reveal the ratings in the kickoff show, primetime special on Friday and daily on First Take.

“Madden Ratings have become a milestone for football culture each year and are among the most anticipated, talked about and debated topics across the sports landscape,” said Julie Foster, Vice President Marketing, EA SPORTS.  “We are excited again to reveal Madden NFL 22 player ratings with ESPN after teaming up last year and can’t wait to see what fans have to say.”

The schedule for Madden Ratings Week:

• Monday, July 26: Top 10 Wide Receivers with Chad Johnson on First Take and full WR ratings reveal on SportsCenter, with additional coverage breaking down ESPN’s NFL commentators and analyst own Madden ratings on NFL Live
• Tuesday, July 27: Top 10 Defensive Linemen with Vince Wilfork on First Take and live reveal of top 10 Edge Rushers on SportsCenter and NFL Live
• Wednesday, July 28: Top Running Backs with Marshawn Lynch on First Take and full running back ratings reveal on SportsCenter and NFL Live
• Thursday, July 29: Top 10 Safeties with Ed Reed on First Take, with additional ratings revealed on SportsCenter and NFL Live
• Friday, July 30: Top 10 Quarterbacks with Alex Smith on First Take, with additional ratings revealed on SportsCenter and NFL Live

Each year, Madden NFL unveils player ratings for all active players in the NFL. Ratings indicate how a player will perform on the virtual gridiron in Madden NFL based on their performance on the real NFL field. Ratings are decided by the Madden NFL Ratings Performance Adjustors, who calculate a number of ratings across every player – speed, awareness, strength, catching and many more – that come together for a final overall rating. Adjustors analyze player performances each week of the NFL season and make changes based on how well a player performed.

More ratings news will come on ESPN next week, and fans should follow the official Madden NFL Twitter and Instagram for the latest Madden NFL 22 updates.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2021, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and F1™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Ultimate Team, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims and Titanfall are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

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Media Contacts:

Olivia Wilson, ESPN                                          [email protected]