Last year, Madden NFL 25 didn’t hesitate; Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were both part of the 99 Club. Again. It was a legacy, it was about performance, and it was expected. Mahomes tied Tom Brady with his fourth 99 overall rating. Kelce broke the tight end record with his fifth. The Kansas City duo was still the gold standard. But this time around, with Madden NFL 26 looming and EA Sports teasing out ratings player by player, something felt off. No Mahomes. No Kelce. Fans flooded search bars with one question: What happened?

In a surprising twist, Patrick Mahomes, arguably the face of the league, was no longer a 99 overall. EA Sports knocked him down to 95, ending his streak in the 99 Club. A four-point drop? Not massive on paper. But perception is everything. Especially when you’re talking about the Grim Reaper, the same Mahomes who just authored another cold-blooded postseason. Even the Chiefs’ post seemed to wink at the disrespect.

Even more shocking? Travis Kelce’s rating dropped, too, down to 93. One of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, still dominant, still clutch. Sure, he’s getting older, but come on? After torching defenses throughout the postseason and playing a crucial role in the Chiefs’ back-to-back title push? The guy is 35, sure. But you’re telling us a tight end who just posted 175 postseason yards is suddenly past it?

Let’s be clear, these weren’t leaks. These weren’t misprints. They were cold, confirmed numbers from EA. And they lit up every timeline from Kansas City to Canton. But don’t think for a second that Mahomes and Kelce didn’t notice. These two have built a career on proving people wrong without needing to say it.

Patrick Mahomes won’t tweet about the 95. Kelce won’t rant on a podcast about his 93. But come September, when the lights are back on and the hits are real again, they’ll speak in touchdowns. In eye rolls. In confetti. EA Sports gave them a reason. Again. And history says they’ll turn it into fire.

The annual Madden ratings drop is supposed to be routine. Predictable. Even boring. But not this time. When the numbers for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce hit the internet, they didn’t just raise eyebrows; they sent Chiefs Kingdom into a frenzy.

Chiefs Kingdom lambasts EA for snubbing Patrick Mahomes and his TE

There’s something about Patrick Mahomes that puts him above the rest. In 8 seasons, he has played in 5 Super Bowls and won 3 of them. Just 5 months ago, he was on the verge of achieving a 3-peat, which no one has ever done. So, when EA dropped the ratings, one fan raised the pinpointed question and wrote, “The disrespect for Patrick Mahomes is at an all-time high.”

Another member of Chiefs Kingdom couldn’t conceal his surprise. He tweeted, “Mahomes at 95? Holy. Airball.” That’s true. What more do you want from him? He’s been a game-changer in the league. But then the situation became even more interesting with other QBs’ ratings.

Josh Allen, 99. Lamar Jackson, 99. Joe Burrow, 97. And Patrick Mahomes? Sitting at 95. This isn’t just a rating drop. It’s a narrative shift. EA Sports made it loud and clear: Mahomes may be king on the field, but not in Madden NFL 26. One noticed the difference and mentioned, “Pat being 2 overalls lower than Burrow is hilarious.”

Understandably, the Chiefs lost Super Bowl LIX. Both, Grim Reaper and his TE were on the field, but couldn’t stop the Eagles‘ carnage. However, let’s not forget that the QB also took them to many games. While another member of the Chiefs Kingdom poured his heart into a 3-word message: “Should be 99.” That’s it. Plain, simple facts.

And it wasn’t just the rating drop, it was the depth of it. “Not only did they snuff mahomes from the 99 club but they put him as a 95 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️,” another fan tweeted. You could feel the disbelief in real time. It was less about anger, more about absurdity. Mahomes has been the measuring stick for six straight seasons. Even when his receivers drop passes, even when the offensive line shuffles midseason, even when the league figures him out, he still ends up on the podium.

Maybe Madden’s formula doesn’t factor in rings anymore. Maybe it’s about marketing momentum. But the numbers don’t lie. Yet sometimes, the ratings do.