EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 (Switch 2): all the updates (latest: Title Update 5)

Lite_Agent 19 November 2025 EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26, Electronic Arts

On this page, you will find all there is to know about the various updates for EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 on Nintendo Switch 2.

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EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 – Ver. ??? (Title Update 5)

Release date: November 19th 2025
Maintenance: No (more details)
Patch notes:

Be All-Madden

We’re celebrating the legacy of Coach John Madden with our latest title update. Be All-Madden is coming and it’s a tribute to the man who helped define football for generations of players and fans.

This update brings Coach’s spirit to every corner of Madden NFL 26. Take the field in the All-Madden Legacy Game, where the historic All-Madden Team faces off against today’s NFL Superstars in a clash of eras featuring new presentation, commentary, and audio honoring the voice that taught the world how to love football.

In Franchise Mode, step into greatness as Coach Madden himself with the all-new Master Motivator archetype — complete with new coach abilities, playsheets, and playbooks inspired by his original game designs.

Pursue greatness in Superstar Mode with a new questline inspired by Madden’s core football philosophies, and build your roster in Ultimate Team with a program celebrating the legends and play styles that define what it means to Be All-Madden… more on our upcoming Ultimate Team programs soon!

From his unmistakable voice to his unmatched football wisdom, this update honors the coach, the commentator, and the legend whose name lives on every Sunday.

All-Madden Legacy Game

Step into a historic matchup that defines what it means to Be All-Madden.

In this special event, the legendary All-Madden Team faces off against the current NFL Superstars. A true clash of generations that celebrates the history, passion, and personality of Coach Madden in the historic Coliseum.

Coming packed with a full presentation experience including audio and visual tributes drawn from decades of Madden history.

Sights & Sounds of Greatness: Celebrating Coach Madden’s Legacy

All-New Commentary Lines: Fresh booth dialogue celebrating Coach Madden’s Thanksgiving traditions and his impact on players, franchises, and fans across the league.
Legendary Madden Calls: Hear authentic commentary from Coach Madden himself, including original lines from our archives spotlighting gridiron greats like Jerry Rice, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Terrell Owens.
Throwback Theme Music: The iconic Madden NFL 06 theme song returns to set the tone.
Team Select: Unique sound effects featuring John Madden voice samples, a custom broadcast watermark, and a jumbotron package.
Postgame Celebration: To the victors go the spoils! Finish the game with a postgame Turducken celebration, the ultimate Madden Thanksgiving tradition.

Across Madden NFL 26, you’ll also see new presentation updates celebrating Coach’s legacy, including an all-new EA SPORTS Bootflow, Press Any Button, and Main Menu video that are all inspired by iconic Madden moments.

Access the All-Madden Legacy Game directly from the main menu and experience the spirit of the game through Coach’s eyes.

Step into Greatness: Play as Coach John Madden in Franchise Mode!

To honor Coach Madden’s impact on the game, we’ve introduced a brand-new Coach Archetype: “Master Motivator.” Inspired by Madden’s unmatched passion and leadership, this archetype features 7 new abilities, 2 unique playsheets, and 2 all-new playbooks — each crafted around Coach Madden’s signature style, including several plays recreated from the original John Madden Football game.

We’re also thrilled to introduce an iconic addition to Franchise Mode — the ability to Play as John Madden himself! Choose the Las Vegas Raiders and select a unique Coach Tile to take command as the legendary coach, leading your team on a quest to bring another Super Bowl trophy home to the Silver and Black.

We’ve also added a unique Coach Madden jacket that you can rep on any of your custom coaches!

New Coach Madden Abilities & Playsheets

We’re honoring Coach Madden’s legacy with a set of new abilities and playsheets that capture his core football philosophies — from pounding the rock to teaching the game the right way.

Boom! Run It Right at ’Em: Boosts to help the offensive running game.

Philosophy: Coach Madden believed in winning up front — playing physical, running downhill, and controlling the tempo through a relentless ground game.

Make ’Em Cover It All: Boosts to the offensive play action pass game and Wide Receivers.

Philosophy: Once defenses sold out to stop the run, Madden dialed up deep shots and quick passes to keep them honest — forcing them to defend the whole field.

Win With Four: Boosts to the Defensive Line Pass Rushing.

Philosophy: Defense starts in the trenches. Madden preached pressure with the front four, freeing linebackers and DBs to fly around and make plays without blitzing heavy.

Jam ’Em Up: Boost attributes to help the secondary in Press and Zone Ratings.

Philosophy: Physical coverage was key — jam receivers, disrupt timing, and make every throw a tough one.

Teach ’Em Up: Boosts Awareness, Play Recognition, Stamina, and Catching to strengthen the mental side of the game.

Philosophy: Coach Madden always said great football starts upstairs. Teach ’Em Up rewards players who study, react, and execute — sharpening their football IQ to outthink the competition.

All-Madden Effort: Boosts Acceleration, Strength, Change of Direction, and Speed to enhance the physical side of the game.

Philosophy: The All-Madden name stood for toughness and hustle. This ability channels that physical grit — the burst off the line, the drive through contact, and the relentless effort that defines greatness.

Find the Right Guy: General Scouting Buffs for all Draft Prospects.

Philosophy: It’s not about having the best 11 — it’s about the right 11. Coach Madden focused on finding players who fit the role and played their part to perfection.

Old-School Football (Playsheet): Control the Game with Balanced Power Formations.

Philosophy: Coach Madden preached balance and control. Win at the line, mix power runs with timely passes, and dictate the game’s rhythm by keeping defenses honest and on their heels.

Hit ’Em at the Line (Playsheet): Tough Defensive Pressure out of 4–3, 3–4 & Nickel formations.

Philosophy: Coach Madden believed defense starts with aggression . Attack from the snap, jam receivers, bring pressure from multiple looks, and set the tone by making offenses uncomfortable on every play.

That is everything you need to know about Be All-Madden! Let’s hop into our additional updates coming in this title update to Madden NFL 26!

Gameplay

Mid-Season X-Factor Shuffle

New X-Factors

Puka Nacua | Rams, WR
X-Factor: Double Me
Short In Elite
Mid In Elite
Route Technician
Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers, QB
X-Factor: Brick Wall
Pass Lead Elite
Inside Deadeye
Gutsy Scrambler
Jonathan Taylor | Colts, HB
X-Factor: Freight Train
Arm Bar
Tank
Closer
Dak Prescott | Cowboys, QB
X-Factor: Run & Gun
Anchored Extender
Gutsy Scrambler
Inside Deadeye
Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks, WR
X-Factor: Double Me
Deep Out Elite
Mid Out Elite
Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions, HB
X-Factor: First One Free
Evasive
Human Joystick

New Superstars

Jared Goff | Lions, QB
Pocket Deadeye
Tyler Warren | Colts, TE
Mid Out Elite
Short Out Elite
Jake Ferguson | Cowboys, TE
Mid In Elite
Short Out Elite
Matt Stafford | Rams, QB
Set Feet Lead
Long Range Deadeye
De’Von Achane | Dolphins, HB
Backfield Mismatch
Devin Lloyd | Jaguars, MIKE
Pick Artist
Short Route KO
Jordan Love | Packers, QB
Tight Out
Sideline Deadeye
Rico Dowdle | Panthers, HB
Tank
Bucky Irving | Buccaneers, HB
Juke Box
Human Joystick
Leonard Williams | Seahawks, DT
El Toro
BOGO
Garret Bolles | Broncos, LT
Secure Protector
Nik Bonitto | Broncos, REDGE
Edge Threat

No longer designated as X-Factors

Travis Kelce | Chiefs, TE
Matt Milano | Bills, WILL
Jaire Alexander | Ravens, CB
AJ Brown | Eagles, WR
Kyle Hamilton | Ravens, S
Quinnen Williams | Cowboys, DT

No longer designated as Superstars

Cooper Kupp | Seahawks, WR
DJ Moore | Bears, WR
David Njoku | Browns, TE
Tua Tagovailoa | Dolphins, QB
Matthew Judon | Dolphins, REDGE
Evan Engram | Broncos, TE
Marlon Humphrey | Ravens, CB
Alvin Kamara | Saints, HB
Chris Olave | Saints, WR
Nick Chubb | Texans, HB
Marshon Lattimore | Commanders, CB
Tariq Woolen | Seahawks, CB

Gameplay General

Addressed unrealistic QB speed boost when doing the QB Juke in the backfield without holding Sprint
Improved defender pursuit so they now maintain a containment pursuit angle against QB Juke
- DEV NOTE: We have addressed both aspects of the QB Jukes behind the LOS to escape the pocket tactic. Users no longer get a speed boost and defenders keep better containment. The move’s effectiveness has been rebalanced to prevent it from being used to exploit defensive behavior.
Fixed an issue preventing an audible to a new defensive play when a receiver is in motion during an automotion play
Returned Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty’s signature pre-snap stance to the upright stance
Tuning to make ‘Ice the Kicker’ more consistently trigger in appropriate situations
Changed the route in the Gun Bunch X Nasty – Y Flat Goalline play to a more authentic route
Fixed an issue where changing Wear & Tear Subs at play call would reset all other coach adjustments
Addressed an issue where blitzing an off ball linebacker or mugging the A-gap with your user would sometimes result in a DT coming free against a Double Team block.
Defensive pass rushers now disengage earlier when the QB starts to scramble out of the pocket
- DEV NOTE: During our investigation of the QB Juke move behind the LOS we also found that the pass rushers were not disengaging early enough to contain QBs escaping the pocket. Given that QB scrambling has been a consistent point of feedback from our players, this update is aimed at improving overall gameplay balance. The goal is more realistic pocket play while still allowing for strategic QB mobility.

AI Play

Modified AI run game playcalling logic – to rely more heavily on their most effective run types.
Reduced unnecessary skill moves by ball carriers – inside the tackles and behind the line of scrimmage ball carriers focus on north-south running.
Improved AI QB’s taking unnecessary sacks – better consideration of throwing the ball away when all receivers are covered.
Improved AI QB decision-making when the game clock is low — QBs now manage the clock better by targeting the end zone or throwing the ball away near halftime and in late-game situations.

Playbooks

This update is featuring a robust update to our playbooks. We have added over 1,000 plays to various playbooks, including 17 new formations and 280+ new plays throughout.

Offensive Playbook Additions:

49ers
- Gun Empty Bunch Tight (NEW)
- Gun Trips X Nasty
- Singleback Wing Flex Close
- Singleback-Wing Flex Close
Bears
- Gun Empty Chips Nasty
- Gun Wing Flex Offset Wk (NEW)
Bengals
- Gun Bunch Trio Open
- Gun Deuce Close
Bills
- Gun Split Y Off
- Gun Trey Y-Flex
Broncos
- Full House Tight (NEW)
- Gun Doubles Hip
- Gun Empty Base Flex
- Pistol Doubles Y Off
Browns
- Gun Bunch X-Nasty
- Gun Deuce Close
Bucs
- Gun 5WR Tight
- Gun Tight Open
Cardinals
- Goal Line Normal
- Gun Bunch X-Nasty
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
Chargers
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips Close
Chiefs
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Tight Y Off
Colts
- Singleback Bunch
- Singleback-Wing Pair Heavy
- Strong I-Pro
Commanders
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Bunch Str Offset
- Pistol Full House
Cowboys
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Pistol Strong Y Off Close
Dolphins
- Gun Go Go Twins Flex (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off
Eagles
- Gun Wing (NEW)
- Singleback Deuce (NEW)
Falcons
- Pistol-Doubles Y Off Stack (NEW)
- Pistol-U Off Trips
Giants
- Gun Split Y Off Close (NEW)
- Pistol-Full House
Jaguars
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Gun Wing HB Wk Close
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
Jets
- Gun Tight Open
- Gun Wing Tight Flip (NEW)
- Pistol Deuce
Lions
- Gun Bunch Y-Trips (NEW)
- Maryland I Close (NEW)
- Maryland I Tight Close (NEW)
Packers
- Gun Split Y Off Close (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Gun Trio
Panthers
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Singleback Deuce Close
Patriots
- Gun Tight Slots HB Wk
- Singleback Wing Close
Raiders
- Gun U Off Trips Flex (NEW)
- Pistol Deuce Close
- Pistol Slot
Rams
- Gun Trips TE
- Gun Y Off Trio Close
Ravens
- Gun Y Off Trio Close
- Singleback Deuce Close
Saints
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Strong Wing Close (NEW)
Seahawks
- Gun Doubles Z Close Wk
- Singleback Deuce Close
- Weak Wing (NEW)
Steelers
- Gun Wing Trips Wk Nasty (NEW)
- Singleback Bunch X Nasty
Texans
- Gun Box
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Bunch X Nasty
Titans
- Gun Bunch Spread
- Gun Bunch Y-Trips (NEW)
Vikings
- Gun Box
- Gun Bunch TE
- Gun Empty Chips Tight
- Singleback Wing Close
Benkert’s Dimes
- Gun Doubles Flex
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Trio HB Wk
- Gun Y-Trips Wk

280+ new plays are coming as well, all pulled from the real NFL season! Here are some of our favorites:

Bengals: Gun Bunch Trio Open | Dagger Swap X-Slant — TD pass to Ja’Marr Chase vs JAX, Week 2
Chiefs: Gun Bunch Spread Nasty | Mtn Drive HB Trail — TD pass vs Lions, Week 6
Cowboys: Pistol Strong Y Off Close | Trail Speed Out — TD pass vs Giants, Week 2
Dolphins: Gun Go Go Twins Flex | Mesh Traffic — TD pass against the Falcons in week 8
Jaguars: Gun Y Off Trio Wk | Slot Deep Corner – TD Pass to Travis Hunter vs Rams, Week 7
Lions: Maryland I Close | SFT HB Zone Wk — New formation vs Ravens, Week 3
Patriots: Gun Tight Slots HB Wk | Mtn Dig X-Corner — TD pass vs Saints, Week 6
Rams: Gun Y Off Trio Close | Mtn X-Dig Slot Corner — TD pass vs Colts, Week 4
Steelers: Gun Wing Trips Wk Nasty | Shuffle Shock HB Choice Go — TD pass vs Patriots, Week 3

We’ve added several new defensive formations designed for passing situations where defenses want to show pressure pre-snap and disguise whether they’re bringing the blitz or dropping into coverage:

Nickel Load Dbl Mug
2-4 Load Dbl Mug
3-3 Load Dbl Mug

Defensive Playbook Updates:

Broncos
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
Browns
- Added: 4-3 Even 6-1; Nickel Single Mug, Load Mug
Buccaneers
- Added: Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug
Cowboys
- Added: 4-3 Even 6-1; 3-4 Tite, Over ED; Nickel Single Mug, Double Mug, 3-3 Load Mug, 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
- Added plays to Dime Rush: Cover 2 Roll, SS Sim Pressure 3, and CB Contain Spy
- Removed: 4-3 Under, Over Solid; 46 Bear; Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug
Dolphins
- Added: 3-4 Under, Over; 4-3 Even 6-1, Tite Leo
- Removed: 4-3 Over Walk
Falcons
- Added: 3-4 Cub
Giants
- Added: 3-4 Under 4 Tech, Over Solid; 4-3 Over, Under; 5-2 Normal; Nickel 3-3 Over, 3-3 Single Mug, Dbl Mug, Wide; Dime Rush, Single Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Under, Even; 4-4 Split; Nickel 2-4, 2-4 Dbl Mug; Dime 2-3 Will, and 1-4
Patriots
- Added: 4-3 Over, Over Walk; 5-2 Normal; Nickel Single Mug, Load Mug, Wide, 3-3 Over, 3-3 Dbl Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Odd; 4-4 Split; Nickel 2-4, 2-4 Single Mug, 2-4 Load Mug, 2-4 Dbl Mug
Raiders
- Added: 4-3 Over, Over Walk, Under; 3-4 Over; Nickel Double Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Odd, Bear, Cub; Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug
Rams
- Added: Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug
Ravens
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
Saints
- Added: Nickel Load Dbl Mug
Steelers
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug

Playbook Fixes:

Addressed an issue in 3-4 Cover 3 Match plays in which Curl Flats were used instead of Seam Flat assignments.
Addressed a Show Blitz alignment issue with 3-3-5 Penny 3 High formation.

Presentation

Added a hip-hop legend starting the Terrible Towel Twirl in Pittsburgh
Added a Seahawks legend raising the 12th Man Flag in Seattle
Added a beloved raccoon plunging the Sword of Honor in Tennessee
Fixed the camera popping in the pre-snap camera in Superstar: The League
Fixed the issue with camera popping that would occur after an interception in Superstar: The League
Fixed the issue with the broken camera that could appear after defensive replays in the Halftime Show and Weekly Recap
Fixed the issue with the Pro Bowl text appearing in the touchdown banner for Superstar: Showdown

Franchise Mode

Wear and Tear Sliders

Added the Wear & Tear sliders to Franchise mode, allowing players to fine-tune how physical performance degradation impacts their teams over time.

These sliders give users more control over how hits, snaps, and recovery affect player health and stamina throughout the season.

You can now independently adjust:

Per-Play Impact – How much wear accumulates from each snap or collision.
Tackle Impact Scale – How much wear accumulates from each Tackle.
Hit Stick Impact Scale – How much wear accumulates from each Hit Stick collision.
Cut Stick Impact Scale – How much wear accumulates from each Cut Stick collision.
Catch Tackle Scale – How much wear accumulates from each Catch Tackle collision.
Time Out Recovery – How much recovery occurs between each Time Out.
End of Quarter Recovery – How much recovery occurs between each Quarter
Halftime Recovery – How much recovery occurs at Halftime.
Per-Game Recovery – How much recovery occurs between games.
Per-Week Recovery – How quickly players regain health and stamina week to week.

Implemented preset recovery strategies — Normal, Keep It Fresh, and Grind It Out — for each position group, complementing the new Wear & Tear sliders to enhance control over player fatigue and recovery balance.

The Wear and Tear strategies are available under the Auto-Sub Screen under Manage Team and the Impact Scale and Recovery settings are available within the League settings.

This system is designed to give Franchise players more flexibility in creating a realistic or arcade-style experience that fits their preferred playstyle.

Coach Ability Tuning

In an effort to make coach abilities more powerful, we took a pass on all abilities tuning several of the modifiers used by gameplay coach abilities within Franchise Mode. The increase in ability power was designed to make choices feel more meaningful and impactful, mirroring the influence that top NFL coaches have in shaping game plans and matchups. By raising the effectiveness of key abilities across blocking, coverage, tackling, and passing, we hope that you will feel a greater sense of differentiation between strategic loadout builds and playstyle decisions. We also want to deepen the week-to-week chess match, where anticipating and countering an opponent’s strengths becomes as crucial as executing your own.

Blocking & Pass Rush Modifiers

Increased Offensive Line Blocking success modifiers (includes significant win success and double-team scenarios)
Increased Pass Rush success modifiers (includes significant win success and shedding double teams)

Offensive Ability Modifiers

Increased Pass Accuracy Modifiers (All Distances)
Increased Out of Pocket Pass Accuracy Modifiers
Increased Play Action Success Modifiers
Increased Max Throw Distance Modifier
Increased Broken Tackle Success Modifier
Increased Broken Sack Success Modifier
Increased Blitz Highlight Success Modifier
Increased Hit Stick Broken Tackle Success Modifier

Defensive Ability Modifiers

Increased Zone Coverage Success Modifiers
Increased Man Coverage Success Modifiers
Increased Pursuit Modifier
Increased Break on Ball Modifier
Increased Press Success Modifier
Increased Interception Chance Modifier
Increased Tackle Success Modifier
Increased Hit Stick Timing Modifier
Increased Missed Tackle Fatigue Modifiers (Includes increases to recouping & expending)
Increased Missed Hit Stick Fatigue Modifier (Includes increases to recouping & expending)

Attribute Boost Abilities

In addition to increasing the power of gameplay abilities, we also adjusted the amount that attributes are increased when using an attribute boost ability. Previously all attribute based abilities like Field General, Work Horse and Mano-A-Mano would increase attributes +4 for each tier and that has now increased to +7 for those abilities.

Upgrade, Downgrade and Knockout Goals

Fixed several issues where some coach abilities were using incorrect goals
Adjusted a large number of Tier 4 Knockout Goals to be more forgiving.
- DEV NOTE: Because Tier 4 Knockout goals can stick around for multiple mastery tiers, we wanted to ensure that they remain active longer to offer a smoother and more rewarding progression experience. All Tier 4 KO goals are now cumulative goals preventing instances where one bad game could downgrade a Tier 4 ability.

Playsheets

Added four new playsheets to complement the existing library (in addition to those added for Madden Week):

Max Protect (Offensive) – Focused on passing plays with six or more players in protection, designed to counter strong pass rushes and blitz-heavy defenses.
- Tier 2: +5 Deep Route Running and Spec Catch for WR/TE on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Deep Accuracy and +2 Throw Power for QB’s on Playsheet Plays
- TIer 4: +7 to all Pass Blocking Attributes for the OL on Playsheet Plays
Mug Life (Defensive) – Built entirely around mug defensive formations, intended to confuse offensive protections and incorporates several new formations and plays introduced in TU4.
- Tier 2: +5 Power and Finesse Moves for EDGE and DT on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +3 Man and Zone Coverage for all LB, CB, FS and SS on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +5 Play Rec for all defenders on Playsheet Plays
The Manifesto (Defensive) – A man-coverage–focused playsheet, boosting man coverage ratings across the defense at higher tiers. Fills a gap in the existing defensive playbook lineup by emphasizing pure man coverage tactics.
- Tier 2: +5 Man Coverage and Play Rec for all LB on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Man Coverage and Play Rec for FS and SS on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +7 Man Coverage and Press for all CBs on Playsheet Plays
Deep Freeze (Defensive) – A zone-coverage based playsheet aimed at neutralizing deep passes. Emphasizes Cover 2 and Cover 4 drop concepts to protect over the top and force offenses into shorter passing games.
- Tier 2: +5 Finesse and Power Moves for all EDGE and DT on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Man and Zone Coverage for all CB on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +7 Zone Coverage and Play Rec for FS and SS on Playsheet Plays

UI

All 2025 season Rivalries matchups are now available in Play Now.
Fixed team colors appearing incorrectly in some Franchise narrative scenes.
Removed Audio Output Device Type from Settings.
Fixed issue with post-game Score HUD appearing before exiting the game.
Titans coach replaced with generic portrait.

Art

Added the gold NFL Shield for NFL award winners. The following players will now sport the gold NFL logo on their jersey in-game.
- MVP: Josh Allen
- Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley
- Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II
- Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels
- Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse
Likeness updates for the following players:
- Brandon Jones | Broncos, FS
- Chase Brown | Bengals, RB
- Spencer Rattler | Saints, QB
- Bucky Irving | Buccaneers, RB

Additional notes: none
Source: Electronic Arts

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 – Ver. ???

Release date: November 6th 2025
Maintenance: No (more details)
Patch notes:

No patch notes available. This update brings the following to the game:

improves stability and performance

Additional notes: none
Source: Electronic Arts

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 – Ver. ??? (Title Update 3)

Release date: October 22nd 2025
Maintenance: Yes (more details)
Patch notes:

Gameplay

Catching

Increased catch knockout chance for more realistic KO outcomes on Competitive Gamestyle.
Fixed catch animation blending to prevent hand warping during catches.
Fixed a catching issue on the Stretch Alert Bubble play where the catch would initiate but not sync up to the pass resulting in a fumble.
Fixed a rare issue where receivers warp to 23 mph during a standing catch.

Locomotion

Tuning to improve scramble throw animations by elite scramblers like Lamar Jackson.
Addressed an issue with WRs jogging after a teammate catches a pass.
Addressed an issue with no cut-move playing on slants.
Tuning to reduce the effectiveness of the spin move for taller ball carriers.
Fixed an issue causing a safety in coverage to sometimes use an incorrect drastic-turn taking him out of position to cover a corner route.

Post Play

Fixed the Bowling Celebration where the ball was teleporting forward.
Fixed a rare issue causing a receiver to get frozen in an animation after a successful catch-tackle.

Defense

Fixed an issue preventing the proper press animation from triggering in man coverage vs. Gun Empty Steeler – Steeler Cross.
Fixed an issue causing the AI-controlled defense to sometimes align in goalline incorrectly vs. certain 4-WR sets.
Fixed an issue with Zone coverage defenders flipping coverage assignments to the opposite side of the field in Nickel 3-3 Single Mug formation when offense flips the play.

Pass Rush

Fixed an issue where defenders with equal or lower Pass Rush ratings were unable to trigger a Super Win. Now, all defenders have a fair chance to break through based on situational factors and ratings.
Adjusted animations for Contains when defending against run actions or play action. Defenders will no longer play the surf animation in these scenarios.
Improved consistency for CPU/User-controlled Defensive Linemen triggering Pass Rush moves. Expect more dynamic and responsive line play.
Fixed a delay in Contain defenders disengaging when the QB drops excessively deep in the pocket. Pass Rushers will now react more quickly to extended dropbacks.
Reduced the frequency of Bull Rush moves being triggered. Pass Rushers will now use a more balanced variety of moves based on their archetype and ratings.

General

Increased QB Fumble Chance vs user hitstick on Competitive Gamestyle for better gameplay balance.
Resolved an issue where the Ball Carrier coach adjustment was impacting user players resulting in user controlled ball carriers sometimes having a 0% fumble chance.
Greatly improved the visual clarity when a player on the field triggers an Ability.
Addressed an issue where the Mini Games: Two Minute Drill was missing the ‘Continue’ button.
Fixed an issue where Offensive PI would be called when running the Gun Bunch Str Nasty – Mtn Double Pass due to blockers going too far downfield.
Fixed an issue in Superstar Showdown (Ranked) where users would hold LB and let AI play for them.
Tuned CPU QBs rolling out of the pocket too quickly when unnecessary.

Special Teams

Increased the max distance on a field goal for kickers with 99 KPW to achieve a 70 yard field goal with a max power low trajectory kick.
DEV NOTE: During the Pre-Season, Jaguars Kicker Cam Little made a 70 yard field goal that tested the boundaries of what is possible on the field. To reflect this achievement in Madden, we tuned our 99 Kick Power Max Distance so that you at home can recreate this iconic moment.
Addressed several blocked kick exploits.
Fixed an issue where kick returners would have trouble fielding the ball on shorter kicks to the numbers.

Playbooks

Fixed an issue with the ball snapping over/around QB causing fumbles on the Pistol – Spread: Jet Touch Pass play
Fixed an issue on the Flexbone Close: WR Dive play where the QB keeps the ball when snapped early.
Fixed an issue with the ball teleporting between hands during Singleback Ace Dbl Wing-Fake: HB Zone QB Boot Lt.
Addressed an issue on the Gun Wing Stack: Ohio Spacing play where WRs would collide with each other at snap has been fixed.
Added Coverage Shell adjustments to Dime 1-4 DBL Mug and the Nickel 2-4-5 Odd Mug formations
Fixed the CB FS Sub Package in 5-3 Goal Line Defense formation
Tuned the TE auto-motion on the Gun Normal & Off Close > FK Jet Y Wheel (Ravens)
Addressed an issue where the motion receiver was unable to catch a pass on the Gun – Wing Slot Offset: Jet Pass Fk Zone play
Fixed an issue with WRs colliding on the Gun – Cluster HB Strong: Spacing play
Tuned Safety alignment and play art inconsistencies in the Nickel Over – Cover 3 Sky play against 4×1 formations.
Dime Load Weak – Missing coverage shell adjustments have been fixed.

New Formations

3-3-5 Penny 3 High
Dime Single Mug and 2-3 Single Mug
Dev Note: Added to provide more flexibility and disguise in your defensive scheme. Single Mug looks force offenses into more one-on-one pass protection, making it easier to generate heat with stunts and targeted blitzes—especially off the slot. The 3-3-5 Penny 3 High Safety is based on the real-life Arizona Cardinals’ innovations, this defense brings a modern spin: three deep safeties and fast front personnel create unique run fits and coverage shells, ideal for keeping offenses guessing pre- and post-snap.

New Plays

Blitz Loop 3, Nickel Sim 2, and Field Sim 3 – Added to Nickel Double Mug, 2-4 DBL Mug, and 3-3 DBL Mug
Cover 2 Roll, Show SS Sim 2, and Cross Sim 2 – Added to Nickel Over, Nickel 3-3 Over, and Nickel 2-4
Dev Note: Plays like Nickel Sim 2, Show SS Sim 2, Cross Sim 2, and Cover 2 Roll in modern football are known as “NTT” (Non-Traditional Tampa) coverages. The “Sim” (short for “Simulated Pressure”) tag indicates that although the defense gives the appearance of a heavy blitz (rushing five or more), in reality only four defenders rush while seven drop into coverage. This approach maximizes coverage integrity, yet keeps the offense guessing where pressure will come from.

Playbook Updates

Bengals – Added 3-4 Tite, Cub; Nickel 3-3 Cub, 3-3 DBL Mug, Single Mug; Dime Single Mug. Removed 4-3 Over Wide; 46 Normal, Nickel DBL Mug
Cardinals – Added 3-3-5 Penny 3 High and Dime 2-3 Single Mug
Colts – Added Dime 2-3, 2-3 Single Mug; Nickel 3-3 Over, 3-3 Double Mug, Single Mug, 3-3 Cub; 3-4 Tite, Under, Cub. Removed Dime Normal, 4-3 Over, Wide; Nickel Over, Nickel Wide
Raiders – Added Nickel Over. Removed Nickel 2-4.
Steelers – Added Dime Single Mug; Nickel 3-3 Over, Load Mug; 3-4 Tite, Under. Removed Nickel 2-4
Added Dime Single Mug to Browns, Chargers, Chiefs,
Added Dime 2-3 Single Mug to Bills, Broncos, Panthers, Rams, Ravens
Benkert’s Dimes playbook receives 36 different plays from Gun Bunch TE and 33 plays from Gun Bunch X Nasty

Presentation

Added custom pregame sequences for the NFL Rivalries program
For NFL Rivalries associated games in Franchise mode, uniforms are preset to highlight the unique matchups of the Rivalries program
NFL Rivalries field art has been updated for all NFL Rivalries teams for the 2025 NFL Season
Additional commentary updates for NFL Rivalries games
Added CPU highlights for the Halftime Show and Weekly Recap
Removed scrolling text that stuttered during the intro and outro bumpers for the Halftime Show and Weekly Recap
Fixed issue where QB would appear on the sideline after an offensive play
Fixed issue where kicker would appear on the sideline after a made field goal
Fixed issue with end-of-quarter banner showing for a timeout
Fixed issue with Last Season stats banner showing for a rookie
Fixed issue with Upcoming Games banner not displaying bye week
Fixed issue where NFL bumper was not appearing before a Super Bowl

Franchise

Addressed an issue where the CPU automatically promotes the team’s existing Offensive or Defensive coordinator if a user leaves the league. Preventing a new user from completing a game until the league advances
Updated an issue where the Super Bowl logo referenced was last year’s Super Bowl LIX image.
Updated an issue where Coach Abilities were displaying as locked although they were upcoming within the Coach Archetype’s path
Resolved multiple stability issues to enhance overall game performance and user experience

Superstar Mode

Added a new Stats tab in the Superstar Center, with standings and League Leaders.
Fixed an issue where the team would choose not to kick Field Goals during simulation.
Fixed an issue where Weekly Activities would sometimes display a Connection’s name incorrectly.
Fixed an issue where different save slot data would be combined, preventing further progression.
Fixed an issue where the Adidas questline could not be completed with certain gear.
Fixed an issue where completing the Combine would sometimes result in a black screen.
Fixed an issue where Weekly Activities would sometimes appear stuck when selecting any of the options.
Fixed several issues with inaccurate stats.

Ultimate Team

Field Pass, Progression & Rewards

Fixed an issue where rewards and new item flows would not trigger after finishing events, earning XP, or leveling up a Field Pass.
Resolved a soft lock when viewing the Premium Pass screen for the first time.
Corrected a bug that could send users to the front-end menu after purchasing a Premium Pass instead of returning them to the Field Pass screen.
Weekly Spotlight content now displays the correct reward and level and can be accessed normally.
Fixed a visual error where backgrounds and borders appeared stretched in the Team Pass rewards flow.
Addressed inaccurate rank-point (RP) indicators and progression visuals in Ranked H2H.
Purchasing the Premium Pass when at max level now correctly displays reward timing on the free track.
Resolved a case where Top-100 players saw “Unranked 0” as the next rank in reward screens.
Continue button on reward screens is now responsive in all cases.

Lineups & Team Management

Fixed an issue where swapping players already in the depth chart could cause the eligible player list to disappear.
Lineup flicker when dragging and dropping players into positions has been eliminated.
Strategy and chemistry logos now display properly on player cards and lineup tiles.
Secondary-position icons now appear correctly on the chemistry card back.
“Flip Item” callout in Manage Lineup popup now functions as intended.

Store, Sets & Packs

Pack Helper suggestions for “Promote to Starter” now properly validate eligible positions.
Corrected missing art for fantasy packs and welcome packs in reward flows.
Updated reward thumbnails so Platinum Player art matches the reward path display.
Fixed an issue preventing users from quick-selling a card and immediately interacting with the next item in the flow.

Challenges, Events & H2H

Fixed errors that occurred after completing a challenge, ensuring progress is saved and rewards are granted.
Resolved long loading screens after finishing or selecting sequences of challenges.
Co-op Challenges now load directly into gameplay instead of matchmaking.
Progress & Rewards screens now populate correctly for invited users in lobbies.
Fixed UI overlaps and blank tags appearing when accessing challenge categories.
Addressed missing or overlapping division icons in the H2H Ranked Progression screen.
Users re-joining Squads lobbies will now see the ready button consistently and return to the correct lobby after matches.

UI & Visual Presentation

Fixed multiple alignment and scaling issues across Progress & Rewards, Event Select, and Team Requirements screens.
Updated several missing highlight brackets and callouts across abilities, sets, and event tiles.
Resolved overlapping column names and misplaced widgets within the CES Results tile.
Chemistry and coach assignment indicators now update correctly when navigating back from menus.
Field Pass interface now remains stable when navigating from external tabs.
Player-card customizations now display properly during Squads and Sick Six gameplay.
Improved consistency for icons, scroll bars, and progress indicators throughout the Ultimate Team hub.

Stability & Miscellaneous Fixes

Addressed instances where the User/Currency bar disappeared after certain hub actions.
Event Requirement lists now properly display players that exceed the limit instead of hiding them.
General improvements to Reward and Progress screen responsiveness and animation timing.

Audio

Addressed a variety of minor issues: commentary playing incorrectly, reducing repetitive commentary, stadium SFX levels, and music playing incorrectly.

UI

Fixed an issue where Main Menu tiles would lead to a blank screen.
Fixed an issue blocking users from playing local co-op on Switch 2.
Fixed an issue with Joy-Cons not being recognized in Mini Games Team Select on Switch 2.
Fixed an issue when switching from Joy-Con to controller on Team Select on Switch 2.
Fixed an issue with the Score HUD showing up twice.
Various player portraits have been added or corrected.
Various stability fixes.
Various UI and front-end polish.

Art

Added Patriots mascot Pat Patriot
Dev Note: Our apologies for neglecting to include the 8 mascots that were added in our previous title update! They were: Blitz (Seahawks), Blue (Colts), Chomps (Browns), Gumbo (Saints), Panthers (Sir Purr), Steely McBeam (Steelers), T-Rac (Titans), and Viktor (Vikings).
With the most recent addition of Pat Patriot, that means each NFL team with a costumed mascot is now represented in our game
Time for sports trivia! There are 5 teams without an official in-stadium mascot (Chargers, Jets, Giants, Packers, and Raiders).
3 New Cleats:
Nike Vapor Speed 3
Nike Zoom Vapor Pro 1
Nike Lebron IV Menace
New Wrist braces available to assign and equip
6 New Axiom facemasks
Axiom Robot Straight
Axiom JR Cross
Axiom Snowflake
Axiom Spyder
Axiom 808
Axiom Robot Cage
New Likenesses added
Colston Loveland – Bears TE
Benjamin Morrison – Bills CB
Trey Amos – Commanders CB
James Pearce Jr – Falcons EDGE
Chase Brown – Bengals RB

Additional notes: none
Source: Electronic Arts

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 – Ver. ??? (Title Update 2)

Release date: September 18th 2025
Patch notes:

Gameplay

Pass Blocking

Added a new Coaching Adjustment option allowing you to set your default pass protection scheme—choose from Base, Empty, Half Left, Full Left, Half Right, Full Right or Default.
- Dev Note: For players who don’t want built-in pass protections on passing plays, we have included a new Coaching Adjustment to allow players to choose the default protection for all dropback passing plays. When toggling this option in, players will still have the ability to change their protection before the play via the Pass Protection adjustments menu.
Fixed an issue sometimes causing the pass protection adjustment menu to get stuck in an open state after selecting a protection adjustment.
Made improvements to blocking logic for better targeting and improved protection on Shotgun Play Action plays
Tuning done to shorten the wait time after failed pass rush moves to improve pocket degradation over time.
Enhanced QB Contain logic to ensure defenders contain more effectively
- Dev Note: This was a two-part fix where we fixed disengages from blocks and pursuit of quarterbacks scrambling outside the pocket. For the second part, we resolved an issue where defenders would incorrectly abandon their Contain assignments in favor of executing pass rush moves.
Addressed an issue with pass rush move selection logic to reduce excessive use of Rip moves and ensure more realistic, ratings-driven defender behavior.

Run Game

Fixed an issue allowing a short, artificial speed boost to the ball carrier when using Truck in open space (Air Truck).
- Dev Note: The truck animations and transitions from truck to locomotion have been modified to more accurately reflect the movement speed of the ball carrier as the truck ends, and the transition has been tuned to keep the speed more consistent.
Fixed an issue causing Duo run plays to be mislabeled as Inside Zone plays.
Decreased the frequency of power non-engaged sheds on run plays.
Added shed timers for defenders who lost their previous defensive move on passing plays.
Edge defenders now steer towards their outside gap for longer to help set the edge on run plays

Passing Game

Increased the minimum for ‘stemmed down’ routes from 1 yard to 3 yards.
- Dev Note: When using the route-stemming feature, certain stemmed-down routes, particularly Corner Routes, became too powerful and difficult to fairly and/or realistically defend. As a result, the minimum stem-depth allowed now is 3 yards. The intent of this change is to preserve the structure and timing of the route, while enabling more realistic and balanced defensive reactions.
Resolved an issue where auto-motion receivers would continue their motion during the Quiet the Crowd animation, users can no longer Quiet the crowd during auto-motion.
Fixed an issue preventing behind-the-line special moves from working when using Gadget players in the QB spot in Wildcat formations.
Fixed an issue causing WR’s to sometimes use fake-out footwork off the snap with no defender nearby.
Fixed an issue preventing the appropriate frequency of catch-knockouts when throwing to a receiver covered by multiple defenders.
- Dev Note: This was the main issue leading to receivers holding onto aggressive catches too much in crowds when the ball should have been knocked out. With this update, outcomes on aggressive catch attempts now more accurately reflect the ratings and physical matchups of the players involved when there is collision at the catch point.
Fixed an issue causing illegal man-downfield penalties to trigger incorrectly on certain play-action boot plays.
Fixed an issue causing no-look passing animations to sometimes trigger on quick throws, like bubble screens.

Pass Coverage

Added a new Coaching Adjustment setting to set the safeties depth at 16 yards.
Updated hook-defender depth with underneath coverage adjustment to play at 5 yards of depth to be in better position to play short routes like drag routes.
Updated hook-defender depth with over-the-top coverage adjustment to play at 12-18 yards of depth to put defenders in better position to take away deeper intermediate routes like deep Digs and Over routes.
Updated vertical-hook zone logic so that it will not match when using coaching adjustments or custom-stem zones.
Updated press-animation logic to ensure defenders trigger press animations requested by the user at the line of scrimmage.
Fixed an issue in Goal Line defense causing the receiver in heavy-personnel formations to be completely uncovered.

Pre-Play Controls

Updated logic so the offense cannot instantly flip the play or audible to a new formation when walking to the line from the huddle
Standardized the hot route timer for all QB’s when breaking the huddle.
- Dev Note: This new timer also applies to how long users need to wait after flipping a play or audibling to a new formation. Stemming a route also counts as a hot route when breaking the huddle. Signature animations for players like Mahomes now have consistent responsiveness resulting in all quarterbacks having the same hot route timing cadence.
Fixed an issue preventing under-center QBs from queuing more than two hot routes at a time.
Fixed an issue causing the TE to motion awkwardly on a series of plays within Gun Y Off Trips Wk (Mtn Y Corner, RPO Alert Mtn Dive, Mtn Shock H Opt)
Fixed an issue preventing the hot-route stem controls from appearing when using mouse & keyboard controls on PC.
Fixed hot route stem control not appearing when using keyboard and mouse.
Tuning to improve avoidance by WR’s in motion at the snap.

AI & Game Logic

Tuning to the Bills Homefield Advantage to reduce excessive kick-meter wobble.
Tuning to improve AI-controlled teams’ clock management, preventing it from calling timeouts right before punting when losing by a large margin.
Fixed an issue sometimes causing a crash when setting QB Throw Style.
Fixed an issue in Goal Line defense causing the receiver in heavy-personnel formations to be completely uncovered.
Fixed a rare issue causing some players in online rosters to appear with generic player models and wearing the incorrect uniform numbers, such as multiple players wearing #11 or #22.

Animation & Visuals

Adjusted Small Agile Back hit stick animations to look more realistic and grounded.
Fixed an issue sometimes causing defenders to warp back to their feet when mid-lunge in tackling.
Fixed an issue allowing late hurdle attempts to cause missed tackles.
Fixed an issue causing Josh Allen to use the incorrect ball-carry style (bread loaf) on read option plays.

Playbooks

Fixed an issue causing the ball to warp on specific Pistol formation handoffs.
Fixed an issue causing the ball to warp when cancelling the handoff on PA Sprint HB Flat plays.
Fixed an issue causing a fumble when snapping the ball in Gun Bunch TE Str MTN RPO Peak Flats.
Fixed a rare issue causing the ball to be snapped well behind the QB on various Pistol and Gun Jet Sweep plays.
Fixed an issue allowing an unnatural speed boost on the In-Corner route within Gun Bunch Offset Close Mesh Rebound, which made it unbalanced.

Presentation

Broadcast Packages
- Fixed issue with missing stats in the Last Week Stats banner after a bye week.
- Fixed issue with Stat Leaders banner for pass yards disappearing too quickly.
- Fixed issue preventing Draft Class banner from appearing during a Sunday Night Primetime game.
NFL Traditions
- Fixed a camera issue for the Cardinals’ Big Red Siren tradition.
Halftime Show
- Fixed issue with missing highlights after using the Resume Game option.
- Fixed an inconsistency with a score shown during a highlight from a game in progress and the subsequent Around the League banner.
Halftime Show / Weekly Recap
- Fixed lighting pop that would sometimes occur at the end of a highlight.
- Tuned logic for highlight selection from a game in progress to reduce the chances of seeing the losing team.
- Tuned logic to prevent non-scrambling QBs from being shown performing long runs.
- Fixed CPU highlight showing right-handed QB throwing left-handed touchdown.
Weekly Recap
- Fixed issue preventing Weekly Recap from being available during the playoffs when a user’s team did not make the playoffs.
Pregame
- Fixed issue with an out-of-focus camera for the Falcon statue at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Fixed issue with fog sometimes obstructing mascots during runouts.
- Fixed various camera obstructions and clipping issues with sideline characters.
Drive Starter
- Fixed a broken camera when showing the Stat Leaders banner for a wide receiver.
- Fixed issue with Drive Starter sometimes appearing before Drive Summary when a turnover occurs in Superstar: The League.
Post Play
- Fixed an issue sometimes causing players to appear on the wrong sideline.
- Fixed an issue causing the camera to linger too long after completing a MUT Challenge in one play.

Franchise

Fixed an issue where certain Players would be playing out of position.
- Dev Note: This issue was tied to the Progressive Fatigue setting, we have removed the setting as we’ve introduced Wear and Tear Management. We are also addressing an issue where Wear and Tear sliders are not in Franchise and looking to implement them in a future title update
Fixed an issue with the Nose Tackle archetype’s OVR formula that was causing it to appear different from the front end.
- Dev Note: For new leagues this change will apply immediately. For existing leagues, the formula will apply immediately and for players that had Nose Tackle as their highest rated archetype previously, will appear with their new Nose Tackle OVR until the week is advanced where their highest OVR will be correct.
Fixed an issue where some draft generators were using wrong body types.
- Dev Note: The change will not apply to existing leagues until the next draft class is generated.
Addressed an issue with Importing and Exporting Draft Classes were incorrectly changing Player Body Types
- Dev Note: This update will not address existing Draft classes already in a league.
Addressed an issue where Tight Ends were able to acquire the Universal Coverage Zone Ability
Addressed an issue where Players sustaining a Low Back Strain Injury was treated as a Career Ending Injury
Fixed an issue where coaches and trainers were unlocking abilities in the wrong order
Addressed an issue where the WILL position was prioritized over the SAM position in the Depth Chart when using the reorder feature

Superstar Mode

Fixed an issue where Season stats were not accessible
Adjusted QB Combine drills
Resolved an issue where selected Gear would appear on the wrong uniform

Ultimate Team

Field Pass, Progression & Rewards

Fixed an issue that prevented certain objectives from appearing in the Field Pass and Team Pass tabs.
Resolved multiple soft lock scenarios when purchasing the Premium Field Pass or entering rewards screens.
Corrected a visual bug where Season 1 Field Pass art would replace Season 2 while active.
Reward icons and token/coin rewards now display consistently across New Items Flow and Rewards Flow.

Lineups & Team Management

Corrected an issue where punters and kickers displayed inflated OVR values when placed at QB.
Fixed chemistry and strategy boosts not displaying correctly, ensuring lineup synergies are accurate.
Improved substitution logic and lineup refresh behavior to prevent errors when managing rosters.

Store & Packs

Restored the “Open Next Pack” callout in reward flows, improving pack-opening speed.
Fixed an issue where packs included inside other rewards were not visible.
Pack Helper tuned to prioritize lineup improvements correctly, avoiding cases where it would recommend removing useful players.

Challenges, Events & H2H

Addressed blockers in Gauntlet events that prevented progress from tracking correctly.
Fixed a bug in H2H Seasons where winning the Super Bowl did not end the season as intended.
Leaderboards now display correctly, fixing issues with empty or undefined rank values.
Corrected star reward tracking in Legendary Challenge packs to ensure proper rewards.

Stability & Disconnects

Fixed multiple soft locks in NUX scenarios, Field Pass purchases, and Preseason Events.
Addressed crashes when loading into Squads crossplay sessions with multiple PC players.
Corrected disconnects during ready-up transitions in H2H and Squads lobbies.
Resolved desyncs in 6v6 and Sick Six modes.

Audio

New music added: Limp Bizkit – “Morgan Wallen”
Fixes for various issues: in-game commentary firing improperly, stadium music adjustments, SFX volume adjustments, mix adjustments for the Halftime Show, & a fix for unintended audio dropouts when adjusting unrelated volume sliders.

UI

Fixed crash when entering Custom Playbooks
Fixed issue with avatar portraits not showing in the Halftime Report
Fixed issues with some in-game banners not showing data or showing incorrect data and other various polish
- Dev Note: This will also include occasionally seeing ‘Eagles vs Chiefs’ in the scorebug during certain moments.
Fixed double score HUD showing after calling a timeout after a play
Korean currency now supported on Switch 2
Fixed issues with Download/Preview/Report function in Download Center
Added and updated various player, coach and avatar portraits

Art

Added additional NFL Player & Coach Likeness Heads:
- 49ers DL Mykel Williams
- Bears WR Luther Burden III
- Bengals LB Demetrius Knight
- Bengals EDGE Shemar Stewart
- Bills CB Maxwell Hairston
- Broncos CB Jahdae Barron
- Browns RB Quinshon Judkins
- Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka
- Cardinals CB Will Johnson
- Chargers RB Omarion Hampton
- Chiefs OT Josh Simmons
- Dolphins DT Kenneth Grant
- Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith
- Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell
- Giants QB Jaxson Dart
- Jets OT Armand Membou
- Jets TE Mason Taylor
- Lions OT Taylor Decker
- Lions DT Tyleik Williams
- Packers WR Matthew Golden
- Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson
- Rams TE Terrance Ferguson
- Ravens S Malaki Starks
- Saints QB Tyler Shough
- Seahawks TE Elijah Arroyo
- Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori
- Seahawks G Grey Zabel
- Steelers DT Derrick Harmon
- Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
- Texans WR Jayden Higgins
Added New Cleats
- Nike Vapor Edge Speed 360 2
Added New Facemasks
- Axiom Robot Jagged 2
- Axion Grid
- Axiom Robot 808
- Axiom Robot RB Jagged 2
- Axiom 3 Bar RB
- Axiom Robot RB Straight
Added 2 New Coach Wristbands
Added New Undershirt w/4 Color Options

Additional notes: none
Source: Electronic Arts

EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 – Ver. ??? (Title Update 1)

Release date: August 28th 2025
Patch notes:

Gameplay

Cover 2 Tampa – The middle defender now gets deeper, maintaining better leverage position against deep threats, especially vs. 3×1 formations.
Cover 2 Hard Flats – Addressed an issue with Hard Flats where defenders were dropping too deep and too far inside before reacting to flat routes. Defenders now drop more accurately with their zone responsibilities, improving coverage consistency in the shallow flats.
Cover 3 Match: Logic improvements for Defenders when reacting to Slot WRs attempting to outleverage the defense on deep routes. This includes Buzz Mable and Zone Blitz 3 playcalls
Cover 6 & Cover 4 Palms – Fixed an issue where Outside Quarters CBs in Cover 6 and Cover 4 Palms were oftentimes losing the press giving up easy touchdowns. We adjusted the CBs alignment so they will no longer attempt to press the WR.
Zone coverage defenders now drop back quicker when shading coverage ‘overtop’.
Fixed a post play animation defect where a defender would do “read steps” when standing in place after the whistle.
Addressed a visual issue around the previous play graphic obscuring the offensive play call formation.

Presentation

Added 3 international stadiums to Play Now, Franchise, and Superstar:
- Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain
- Dublin Stadium in Ireland
Fixed crash and stability issues.

Franchise

Addressed our UI Transitions surrounding the Player Card. Reducing the transition time it takes to go into the Player Card.
- Dev Notes: This current fix only addresses going into the Player Card. Our resolution for exiting out of the player card back to the Franchise Main Menu will be in our next TU.
Resolved an issue allowing commissioners to send multiple league invites simultaneously.
Addressed an issue that prevented Edge Players from adding Pass Rushing Traits
Addressed an issue during the Draft where the Draft Board was improperly transparent, showing through to the background.

DEV NOTE: Here’s some of the issues we’re aware of and working on a fix in a future Title Update:

Class Import Process incorrectly modifying Player Body Types, specifically Offensive Linemen.
Players on IR unable to be peeled off the IR list.
Nose Tackle archetypes displaying a different OVR in the front end.

Superstar Mode

Fumble rate chance has been decreased in Snow Games.
Fixed an issue where players would play in the wrong position.
Fixed a rare issue where players’ knees would be invisible during the NFL Combine.
Several stability fixes.

Ultimate Team

Play A Friend will now respect each individual users passing settings
Remedied an issue where opening a Fantasy Pack after a H2H game caused visual artifacts during the pack open
Fixed an issue where rewards images failed to appear on some screens
Fixed multiple occasions where players were navigated to the wrong menu
Fixed a text issue where “Rank Down” appeared instead of “Rank Up”
Fixed an issue where progress in Ranked was not visually displaying
Fixed multiple occasions of overlapping text
Fixed an occasional crash when returning to lobbies
Items displayed during presentation did not always match their actual rarity

Audio

Fixed an issue where commentary referred to a few rookies by an incorrect last name.

Additional notes: none
Source: Electronic Arts

How to download updates for EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 on Nintendo Switch 2?

To download the updates for EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26, you have three options:

let the console do its thing if you have automatic downloads activated, and didn’t completely turn it off

If not…

try to launch the game from the Home Menu while being connected to the internet. You should get a prompt when doing so: simply follow the instructions on screen;

select the game > press either + or – to go to the Options page > select Software update > select Via the Internet.

To check that you have the latest version installed, simply select the game on the Home Menu, and press – or + to go to the Options: the version number is displayed just below the game title.