Soon enough, we will have yet another (meagerly) edition of Madden — the popular video game franchise (in dire need of new artistic direction).
But even if the mainline games could desperately use healthier development cycles, Madden itself has become a football institution. Fans who watch all the action every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday often use the latest edition as a way to keep tabs on the season at home. There’s a reason it’s released every August on the eve of another long NFL campaign.
If you’ve played Madden in any capacity before, you understand that some players simply resemble terrifying cheat codes. These are studs who make picking their team in a standard one-on-one “against the rules” in due time.
MORE: Every Madden NFL cover star since 2000.
With Madden 24 now just around the bend, here’s a look at the most unstoppable (and/or most popular) player in every modern edition of the game. Modern, in this case, being circa 1999. Note: There is a heavy skew toward offensive players.
If you wanted better defensive representation, watch the actual games for a fix. No one talks about Madden for defense.
Madden 99: WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers (189 overall)
The Nintendo 64 release of the game saw Rice rated 189 overall. With Steve Young throwing him the ball, it sometimes felt that way using the GOAT receiver.
Madden 2000: RB Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions (99 overall)
Sanders was just as untouchable in the video game as he was in real life. His cutting and juking ability essentially made him an impossible cover in the backfield.
Madden 2001: RB Marshall Faulk, Los Angeles Rams (95 overall)
A multi-purpose back of the highest order, you could run Faulk off tackle or throw him diamond and wheel routes as he scorched safeties and linebackers. Good luck to any defense.
Madden 2002: WR Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings (98 overall)
Moss’s speed was a 99 overall, and he had the best leaping ability in the game. For once, you knew exactly how lucky Daunte Culpepper felt.
Madden 2003: TE Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs (97 overall)
One of the most prolific pass-catching tight ends in league history, Gonzalez’s translated perfectly to Madden. Nowhere did he dominate the middle of the field more in a virtual setting than in the 2003 edition.
Madden 2004: QB Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons (90 overall)
Vick had 95 speed and 92 elusiveness. If anyone controlling him decided to scramble (they very likely would), he’d get you a first down, at minimum. Vick, in this edition, made the Falcons one of the more popular teams in Madden history.
Madden 2005: WR Terrell Owens, Philadelphia Eagles (97 overall)
Owens’ unique blend of size, speed, and physicality made him a one-wrecking crew. If you had the fortune of using the Eagles, you gave Owens at least 20 targets and didn’t look back.
Madden 06: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (99 overall)
Madden 06 introduced the infamous “vision cones” for quarterbacks based on their awareness score. With a 99-awareness score, Manning’s cone basically encompassed the entire field, making him the easiest quarterback to play a game with.
Madden 07: RB Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks (98 overall)
Alexander was coming off an 1880-yard rushing campaign with 27 rushing touchdowns. You would give this workhorse the ball and he’d get you 150 rushing yards and at least two scores without issue.
Madden 08: RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Los Angeles Chargers (98 overall)
After setting an NFL record for single-season touchdowns, there was no better weapon than Tomlinson. He was the ultimate versatile trump card.
Madden 09: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots (99 overall)
Brady was coming off a 50-touchdown campaign of frightening proportions. He still had the sport’s top offensive supporting cast and was basically un-hittable in the pocket if you used the Patriots’ spread scheme properly.
Madden 10: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (99 overall)
Fitzgerald was coming off a legendary playoff performance highlighted by some of the best hands in the game. With Kurt Warner or Insert Quarterback, the receiver was a matchup nightmare for every defense.
Madden 11: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (99 overall)
Brees had 97 overall throwing accuracy and was 99 on short passes, 98 on medium, and 92 on deep. You’d have to actively not try to have a bad game with him as your quarterback.
Madden 12: TE Antonio Gates, Los Angeles Chargers (99 overall)
Gates dominated the middle of the field for the Chargers, and it was no different in a Madden setting. Gates’ spectacular catch and jumping ability, in particular, made him a walking completion downfield.
Madden 13: WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (99 overall)
A receiver with an impeccable mix of size and speed, “Megatron” made the Lions one of the more popular choices in this edition.
Madden 25: RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (99 overall)
Not since Walter Payton had there been a running back seemingly excelling on pure will and explosiveness. After his rushing season over 2000 yards, Peterson was guaranteed to get you five yards a carry and hit plenty of home runs in the open field.
Madden 15: QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (98 overall)
This wasn’t coming off Rodgers’ best season as a pro, but you’d have been hard-pressed to find a better off-schedule playmaker at quarterback. For those who can’t sit in the pocket in Madden, Rodgers was your pal.
Madden 16: TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (99 overall)
The arguably top tight end in NFL lore, Gronkowski physically imposed his will on defenders every week. Throwing him a random ball in the middle of the field lent him credence as an unstoppable force.
Madden 17: RB Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (97 overall)
Toward the turn of last decade, Bell established himself as a multifaceted dynamo out of the backfield. With a 97 juke rating and 95 agility and elusiveness, Bell was a cheat code.
Madden 18: WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (98 overall)
Like every incredible receiving talent on this list, Jones proved too much for one defense to handle. The kind of player that barely needed a competent quarterback to work in a virtual setting.
Madden 19: WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (99 overall)
Brown wasn’t an imposing monster, but he didn’t have to be. Speed and acceleration off the line of scrimmage meant he was almost always open.
Madden 20: WR DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (99 overall)
A lineage of gifted receivers continued in Madden 20, with Hopkins carrying the mantel. Try him in double coverage, in particular, and you’d likely some wild circus-like heroics.
Madden 21: RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers (99 overall)
McCaffrey had nearly 2400 yards from scrimmage, caught 116 passes, and scored 19 total touchdowns a year prior. Did having other receivers even matter if this tailback was on your team?
Madden 22: WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (99 overall)
Throwing to Adams in this game made you actually feel like Aaron Rodgers for a moment. Because when you had a receiver like him, you were more or less invincible.
Madden 23: TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (98 overall)
Already a future Hall of Famer, Kelce was another tight end who gave you complete dominion over the middle of the field. A high speed and agility score also made it worthwhile to toss him a short bunny now and then to watch his YAC ability come alive.
