The term gamechanger is probably overused, but there's zero doubt it applies to Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter. At Colorado, he was one of the best wide receivers and cornerbacks in the country, culminating in a Heisman trophy win. The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to retool their lineup and generate excitement about their young squad, so they drafted Hunter. The NFL has never seen a player like Hunter, so Madden 26 had to make several changes to accommodate him.
Madden 26 had to do something the game has never done for a rookie: create an entirely new in-game ability. It's called Iron Man, and it lets his stamina drain much more slowly than a typical player. Madden's stamina is always a point of contention, and Hunter arrives in the year when some significant changes are being made.
The game is always filled with "money plays" that are just way better than others. One of the solutions this year is bringing over the College Football series' new Wear and Tear mechanic. If you use a player constantly, he will accumulate fatigue faster and his ratings will deteriorate. You can still run that halfback dive, but if you use the same back he'll get slower and be more vulnerable to injury.
Travis Hunter says "nope" to all of that thanks to the Iron Man ability. Now in Franchise mode, scouts may encounter other two-way players and you'll obviously want to get those guys onto your roster. And you'll be able to use them to their full ability, as team depth charts now allow for them.
Hunter's unicorn skillset has ensured that neither real football nor the games that simulate it will ever work quite the same way again.