Madden 21 top quarterback ratings draws debate

Is there anything more debatable than player ratings in a Madden video game? EA Sports and ESPN have teamed up to reveal the player ratings for Madden 21 and kicking things off were the top quarterbacks in Madden 21. The list looks like this:

1. Patrick Mahomes – 99 Overall
2. Russell Wilson – 97 Overall
3. Lamar Jackson – 94 Overall
4. Drew Brees – 93 Overall
5. Tom Brady – 90 Overall
6. Aaron Rodgers – 89 Overall
7. Matt Ryan – 87 Overall
8. Deshaun Watson – 86 Overall
9. Dak Prescott – 84 Overall
10. Carson Wentz – 84 Overall

Looking through the comments, it doesn’t take long to find thousands of fans debating the ratings. It’s a surprising list, for sure, but it’s one that reflects a sort of passing of the torch. Two of the top three quarterbacks — Mahomes and Jackson — are under the age of 25.

I don’t think anyone is debating the merits of either Mahomes or Jackson. They certainly deserve to top the list in Madden 21 as they are both incredibly gifted quarterbacks. Most would probably agree that Russell Wilson deserves his 97 Overall rating.

It’s the rest of the list that everyone has a problem with. Specifically the slighting of Aaron Rodgers who is rated just 89 Overall. For years, the Green Bay Packers quarterback has been considered a top-three quarterback in the league.

He doesn’t typically lead the league in passing touchdowns but its his touchdown to interception ratio that is most impressive. It’s his ability to lead the Packers offense and keep the team competitive despite a lack of true weapons. He has that “it” factor that, for years, has helped him maintain an elite status among NFL quarterbacks.

For whatever reason, this year he’s an 89 Overall. It’s not bad; he’s still in the top 10 but I think one could argue he should at least be tied with Tom Brady at a 90 Overall. That one point seems to make all the difference.

Another quarterback who has issues with his rating is Deshaun Watson. The Houston Texans quarterback is rated just 86 Overall and he certainly wasn’t shy about letting EA know how he felt.

https://twitter.com/deshaunwatson/status/1282730109741473793

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For what it’s worth, stats-wise, I think 86 Overall is fine for Watson. I don’t really have a major issue with anyone on the list, although I think Brady is a little high for his production of late. However, he didn’t have many weapons in New England last year so it’ll be interesting to see how he performs with the Buccaneers.

A lot of fan frustration seems to stem from the fact that these quarterbacks may not necessarily be top passers, but they have major impacts on their respective teams. Watson doesn’t have mind-blowing passing stats but he led the Texans to double-digit win seasons since 2018 and had five game-winning drives in 2019. Madden 21‘s ratings don’t seem to take into account the importance of the quarterback to their team.

Thankfully, these are the ratings at launch in August. Madden 21 will be updated weekly as the season progresses, with player ratings adjusted according to their on the field performance. So while these are the top ten quarterbacks at launch, expect this list to change.