A former Washington Commanders star is fired up about a rookie's rating

Robert Griffin III is not happy with Madden. He called out the game for giving No. 1 pick Cam Ward a "disrespectful" 72 overall rating, the lowest in 25 years.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) passes during “Back Together Weekend” training camp practice at Nissan Stadium Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Training camp is fully underway and that means we are ever so closer to the start of the 2025 season.

The Washington Commanders are hopeful of running things back and even improving, with aspirations of making it to Santa Clara, California, for their first Super Bowl appearance in decades.

While real football is on the horizon, fans will soon have the opportunity to play the newest version of the popular video game Madden when it releases on August 14th.

It is always intriguing to see player ratings released before the official game launch, particularly for rookies.

On Wednesday, EA announced their rookie ratings, and one player in particular caught the eye of fans for perhaps being rated too low: the first overall pick and Tennessee Titans' rookie quarterback Cam Ward.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws during the Tennessee Titans first day of training camp at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, July 23, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cam Ward Disrespected?

Ward was announced to have an overall rating of 72, which drew the ire of fans across the country as it marked the lowest rating for a first pick in the NFL Draft in 25 years.

Ward's rating was so egregious that it made its way across social media and eventually to former Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III, who didn't hold back when discussing his displeasure with those in charge of evaluating players for Madden.

Cam Ward is the most disrespected QB #1 overall Pick EVER. I know it’s just a Madden Ranking , but Cam Ward having a 71 rating and not even being a top 10 rated rookie in the game as the 1st Pick in the NFL draft and the lack of national media coverage of him solidifies it.

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) July 30, 2025

RGIII was a bit off when noting Ward's rating, but he was right about everything else. The first overall pick, not even being a top-ten rated rookie, is a bit disrespectful, but it could work in Ward's favor not to receive too much hype ahead of his debut in the NFL.

Ward will have the opportunity to improve his rating as the season progresses. In fact, Commanders' quarterback Jayden Daniels entered his rookie campaign rated 74 overall before being bumped up to an 85 at the mid-season upgrade.

While many were up in arms over Ward's rating, it is highly doubtful that it will impact him as he looks to help turn things around in Nashville. If anything, it should just add a bit of chip to his shoulder to perform better.

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READ MORE: Commanders have several high-end trade assets

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