Shilo Sanders has struggled to cement his place in the league. From a promising rookie to suddenly being nowhere near a team roster, his story is far from what many expected. If being cut from an NFL team feels brutal, imagine getting wiped from the game’s biggest virtual roster as well. That’s exactly what happened to Shilo. 

Free-agent rookie safety, once featured as a No. 4 quarterback in Madden 26 as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, has seen his digital presence vanish completely. EA Sports decided to remove him from Madden 26 following his release by Tampa Bay. The son of Coach Prime must be feeling the sting twice. 

This removal is a stark marker on his NFL timeline. In Madden 26, Sanders had an overall rating of 67. That rating was slightly better than the Cleveland Browns’ Dillon Gabriel, who held a 66 overall. 

His other ratings were like:

• Speed rating – 78
• Strength – 65
• Agility – 81
• Change of direction – 79
• Injury – 94
• Awareness – 58

Shilo was ousted by the Bucs after he threw a punch at Buffalo Bills tight end Zach Davidson in the preseason. He was fined, ejected, and ultimately cut by Tampa Bay. Todd Bowles had expressed clear disappointment in Sanders’ actions.

“You can’t throw punches in this league. That’s inexcusable…They’re going to get you every time. You’ve got to grow from that,” Bowles said.

He put in decent work during the preseason, logging 83 defensive snaps and even pressuring quarterbacks. Yet none of it was enough. Because it looks like no NFL teams want him anywhere near their rosters.

Teams keep passing on Shilo Sanders

The Baltimore Ravens had an urgency to fix their secondary after a poor start. But they went on to sign Alohi Gilman and CJ Gardner-Johnson. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers just worked Shilo out without signing him. Even with a name like Sanders, the NFL door is closing tightly on Shilo.

The Washington Commanders invited Darnell Savage, but he didn’t stick. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed someone else. And the Los Angeles Chargers swiftly moved on after Khalil Mack’s injury. And America’s team that actually had Deion Sanders’s help in the ’90s is treading carefully.

Shilo finds himself stuck in a limbo that’s tough for any free agent to navigate, more so with a famous last name. His agent is hustling for practice squad spots or a shot in the UFL. The Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts hold his rights and offer a distant glimmer of hope. But for now, Shilo watches as others get called up ahead of him.