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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Every year, the Madden NFL video game announces an exclusive club called the 99 Club, which celebrates the game's top players ahead of the season.
In past seasons, players including the San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey and the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were among those on the list. However, none of these players are among Madden NFL 27's 99 Club.
Six players were officially revealed in this year's club to start the season, including the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, who returns for another big season with hopes of reaching his first-ever Super Bowl. A team he and the Bills might face in the big game is the Los Angeles Rams, who have two members in this year's 99 Club.
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Coming off his MVP season, Matthew Stafford definitely makes sense as one of the six club members. Stafford threw for 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns, leading the league in both stats. His 71.2 QBR was fourth-best in the NFL.
Joining him is his new Rams teammate, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, who set a new single-season sacks record with 23 for the Cleveland Browns last season. This offseason, he was traded to Los Angeles, further boosting the Rams as top contenders to win the Super Bowl.
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A talented trio of receivers makes up the remaining three members of the 99 Club, including the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase, the Arizona Cardinals' tight end Trey McBride, and the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
All three players are certainly worthy of the recognition, based on their bodies of work and stats last season. Chase was third in the NFL with 125 receptions, fourth with 1,412 receiving yards, and 11th with his eight touchdowns.
JSN led the league with his 1,793 receiving yards and followed it up with a Super Bowl ring. The Cardinals' McBride set the single-season reception record for a tight end with his 126 catches. The first-team All-Pro member had 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns, making him a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for Arizona.
The 99 refers to a player's overall rating in the popular Madden video game and is the best possible rating a player can attain. For Madden's player ratings, they compile and update ratings for speed, strength, agility, change of direction, awareness, and susceptibility to injuries during the season.
Player ratings can also drop based on a player's real-life subpar performances during the NFL regular season, and other players can have their numbers rise as they show their on-field brilliance.
This year's 99 Club looks a bit different from the one that arrived for Madden NFL 26 last year. Allen, Chase, and Garrett are the only members returning to the club.
Last year's members before the 2025-26 season also included Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
Obviously, any of those aforementioned players could find their way back into the club as their seasons progress, or other newcomers could play their way into the club.
The Madden NFL 27 game, available for pre-order now, is scheduled to release Aug. 6 with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams gracing the cover. Details about pre-orders and the various editions are available at the official website.
Meanwhile, NFL teams are in training camps, with preseason games also beginning in August. Before long, the regular season begins, with a rematch between the Super Bowl champion Seahawks and runner-up New England Patriots on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET.
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