Now that we’ve covered the seven members of the Madden 26 99 Club, let’s talk about a few of the snubs. There are especially some snubs on the defensive side of the ball, with Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt and Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II being the most notable players left out of the club. Over the past couple of years, EA Sports has reduced the number of defensive players with 99 ratings.

Madden 25 didn’t even have any defensive players in the initial 99 Club, so it’s not overly surprising to only see Myles Garrett join the club in Madden 26. Still, both Watt and Surtain II could have easily been a part of this year’s class. Surtain II was even the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, so to not see him included is a surprise.

On the offensive side of the ball, there weren’t any notable snubs. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey likely makes the club if he wasn’t injured for a majority of the 2024 season, while quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t put up the stellar numbers we’re used to seeing from him. This is also the first time in a few years where no tight end has emerged as the absolute best in the NFL, as neither Travis Kelce nor George Kittle filled up the stat sheet in 2024. Perhaps a tight end such as Sam LaPorta or Brock Bowers gives themselves a chance at the 99 Club in 2025, but they weren’t good enough for the club in Madden 26.