Madden NFL 99 Club History, Who's in the Every Edition of Game, Madden ratings: Players in the Madden 99 Club for highest rating all-time

We take a look at all of the players who have received the coveted 99 overall ranking in Madden history

With the Madden 24 cover being revealed, we look back at the history of the video game cover athlete curse.

As EA Sports releases Madden 24 to the world this week, we take a look back at the history of the Madden Curse. The video game’s first iteration was released in 1988 and had none other than its namesake, John Madden, on its cover.

In 1998 though, EA put San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst on the cover of Madden NFL 99. Hearst suffered a severe ankle break during a game shortly after that required years of rehabilitation.

And if it had stopped there, no one would have thought twice about the connection. But it didn’t.

What is the Madden 99 Club?

The ‘99 Club’ refers to the group of players to receive the game’s top ranking at 99 overall for a given year. The honor is reserved for the absolute best players the NFL has to offer and going through the list of 99’s provides a good snapshot of who was dominating the league at the time.

EA Sports decided to settle on 99 as the top ranking. And for the Nintendo 64 edition of Madden ‘98, Jerry Rice received a 189 ranking.

Who's in the Madden 27' 99 Club in 2026?

Here's a look at who gained entry into the 99 Club in 2026 for Madden NFL 27:

Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks

Josh Allen, QB, Bills

Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams

Myles Garrett, Edge, Rams

Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals

Who was in Madden 26' 99 Club in 2025?

Below is a look who was in The 99 Club for Madden 26 – which was released ahead of the 2025 NFL season:

Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles

Lane Johnson, OT, Eagles

Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens

Josh Allen, QB, Bills

Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings

Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals

Myles Garrett, DE, Browns

Madden ‘24 Players List

WR Justin Jefferson - Minnesota Vikings

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

OG Zack Martin - Dallas Cowboys

TE Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs

QB Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs

Madden ‘23 Players List

OT Trent Williams - San Francisco 49ers

WR Davante Adams - Las Vegas Raiders

DE Myles Garrett - Cleveland Browns

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

OG Zack Martin - Dallas Cowboys

Madden ‘22 Players List

QB Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs (cover)

TE Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs

WR Davante Adams - Green Bay Packers

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

CB Jalen Ramsey - Los Angeles Rams

Madden ‘21 Players List

QB Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs

RB Christian McCaffrey - Carolina Panthers

WR Michael Thomas - New Orleans Saints

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

CB Stephon Gilmore - New England Patriots

Madden ‘20 Players List

LB Bobby Wagner - Seattle Seahawks

LB Khalil Mack - Chicago Bears

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

WR DeAndre Hopkins - Houston Texans

Madden ‘19 Players List

LB Luke Kuechly - Carolina Panthers

LB Von Miller - Denver Broncos

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

WR Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers (cover)

TE Rob Gronkowski - New England Patriots

QB Tom Brady - New England Patriots

QB Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers

Madden ‘18 Players List

QB Tom Brady - New England Patriots (cover)

DT Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams

LB Von Miller - Denver Broncos

Madden ‘17 Players List

TE Rob Gronkowski - New England Patriots (cover)

DE JJ Watt - Houston Texans

LB Luke Kuechly - Carolina Panthers

LB Von Miller - Denver Broncos

Madden ‘16 Players List

CB Richard Sherman - Seattle Seahawks

DE JJ Watt - Houston Texans

WR Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions

Madden ‘15 Players List

CB Richard Sherman - Seattle Seahawks (cover)

DE JJ Watt - Houston Texans

WR Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions

Madden ‘14 Players List (branded as Madden 25)

DE JJ Watt - Houston Texans

WR Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions

RB Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings (cover)

Madden ‘13 Players List

WR Calvin Johnson - Detroit Lions (cover)

QB Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers

LB DeMarcus Ware - Dallas Cowboys

CB Darrelle Revis - New York Jets

Madden ‘12 Players List

CB Darrelle Revis - New York Jets

QB Tom Brady - New England Patriots

S Troy Polamalu - Pittsburgh Steelers

TE Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers

Madden ‘11 Players List

CB Darrelle Revis - New York Jets

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

QB Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints (cover)

RB Chris Johnson - Tennessee Titans

DE Jared Allen - Minnesota Vikings

LB Patrick Willis - San Francisco 49ers

Madden ‘10 Players List

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

S Troy Polamalu - Pittsburgh Steelers (cover)

WR Larry Fitzgerald - Arizona Cardinals (cover)

DT Albert Haynesworth - Washington Commanders

S Ed Reed - Baltimore Ravens

CB Nnamdi Asomugha - Oakland Raiders

Madden ‘09 Players List

QB Tom Brady - New England Patriots

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

TE Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers

WR Randy Moss - New England Patriots

RB LaDainian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers

S Bob Sanders - Indianapolis Colts

Madden ‘08 Players List

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

RB LaDainian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers

S Ed Reed - Baltimore Ravens

LB Brian Urlacher - Chicago Bears

CB Champ Bailey - Denver Broncos

Madden ‘07 Players List

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

CB Champ Bailey - Denver Broncos

TE Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers

FB Lorenzo Neal - San Diego Chargers

OT Walter Jones - Seattle Seahawks

P Shane Lechler - Oakland Raiders

Madden ‘06 Players List

QB Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts

K Adam Vinatieri - New England Patriots

K David Akers - Philadelphia Eagles

LB Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens

OT Jonathan Ogden - Baltimore Ravens

WR Randy Moss - Oakland Raiders

Madden ‘05 Players List

LB Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens (cover)

OT Jonathan Ogden - Baltimore Ravens

CB Champ Bailey - Denver Broncos

K Mike Vanderjagt - Indianapolis Colts

Madden ‘04 Players List

K Adam Vinatieri - New England Patriots

LB Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens

WR Terrell Owens - San Francisco 49ers

WR Marvin Harrison - Indianapolis Colts

LB Derrick Brooks - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

S Brian Dawkins - Philadelphia Eagles

Madden ‘03 Players List

RB Marshall Faulk - St. Louis Rams (cover)

OG Larry Allen - Dallas Cowboys

DT Warren Sapp - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DE Michael Strahan - New York Giants

LB Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens

Madden ‘02 Players List

LB Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens

DT Warren Sapp - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OT Jonathan Ogden - Ba ltimore Ravens

RB Marshall Faulk - St. Louis Rams

TE Tony Gonzalez - Kansas City Chiefs

Madden ‘01

None

Madden ‘00 Players List

CB Deion Sanders - Dallas Cowboys (100)

FB Mike Alstott - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (100)

RB Barry Sanders - Detroit Lions

C Dermontti Dawson - Pittsburgh Steelers

P Matt Turk - Washington Commanders

Madden ‘99 Players List

RB Barry Sanders - Detroit Lions (100)

CB Deion Sanders - Dallas Cowboys (100)

WR Jerry Rice - San Francisco 49ers (100)

TE Shannon Sharpe - Denver Broncos (100)

TE Mark Chmura - Green Bay Packers (100)

OT Tony Boselli - Jacksonville Jaguars (100)

OT Jonathan Ogden - Baltimore Ravens

OG Larry Allen - Dallas Cowboys

C Dermontti Dawson - Pittsburgh Steelers

TE Ben Coates - New England Patriots

OG Randall McDaniel - Minnesota Vikings

OG Mark Schlereth - Denver Broncos

OT Willie Roaf - New Orleans Saints

DE Bruce Smith - Buffalo Bills

DE Neil Smith - Denver Broncos

DE Reggie White - Green Bay Packers

DE Tony Brackens - Jacksonville Jaguars

LB Ken Norton Jr. - San Francisco 49ers

CB Jason Sehorn - New York Giants

K Morten Andersen - Atlanta Falcons

_____