NFL Fans React to Cam Ward's Madden Rating: 'An Absolute Joke'

Ward was given a 72 overall rating, putting him well below some other first picks of the past.

Ward was given a 72 overall in rookie ratings released Wednesday. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Madden 26 released its ratings for the NFL's rookies on Wednesday afternoon—and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward fell curiously low on that list.

To be fair, his 72 rating isn't that much lower than first-year QBs of seasons past; Caleb Williams notched a 76 last year, while Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye earned 74s. JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix, meanwhile, all fell between 70 and 71. Ward's 72 is also the highest of this year's QB crop, beating out Jaxson Dart (68), Tyler Shough (68), Shedeur Sanders (67) and Dillon Gabriel (66).

But he sits behind other top rookie prospects, like Travis Hunter (84), Ashton Jeanty (83) and Cam Skattebo (73), the last of whom went in the fourth round of the draft. Ward didn't even crack the rookie top 10. For a guy who was the first pick off the board, wouldn't you think he might outrank those guys on the Madden scale?

Others, including Robert Griffin III, certainly think so.

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

#Titans QB Cam Ward is officially a 72 overall in the new Madden videogame.

The lowest Madden rating for a No. 1 pick in 24 years.

— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) July 30, 2025

😂

— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) July 30, 2025

Cam Ward bring a 71 overall on Madden and Cam Skattebo being a 73 is an absolute joke

— Football Analysis (@FBallAnalysisYT) July 30, 2025

It might just be reactionary, or it could be because I’m a known Cam Ward supporter, but…

Is he not one of the most disrespected No. 1 picks in recent memory? Not only a low Madden rating, but I feel people are not treating him like he deserves in real life.

They still sleep.

— Hunter Haas (@Haas_Football) July 30, 2025

I try not to comment on Madden ratings but Cam Ward is a 71?????

Thats so disrespectful lol.

He was the #1 pick, hes gotta be a 75 MINIMUM. https://t.co/5puW7mAQTZ

— Costa (@CincyPlzWin) July 30, 2025

I try not to comment on Madden ratings but Cam Ward is a 71?????

Thats so disrespectful lol.

He was the #1 pick, hes gotta be a 75 MINIMUM. https://t.co/5puW7mAQTZ

— Costa (@CincyPlzWin) July 30, 2025

I don’t care for Madden but why does Cam Skattebo have a better rating than Cam Ward who literally went number 1 overall lmao https://t.co/hOykIB46nw

— Kai (@SznPltts) July 30, 2025

Cam Ward being the number one pick but having a worse rating in Madden than scattebo is just categorically hilarious.

— jotham the 1st 🇺🇬 (@JothamKitara) July 30, 2025

Cam Ward is the LOWEST RATED 1st Overall Pick Rookie QB in Madden since 2010:

A. Luck: 84 OVR
J. Winston: 81
B. Mayfield: 81
S. Bradford: 80
M. Stafford: 79
T. Lawrence: 78
C. Newton: 77
J. Goff: 77
J. Burrow: 76
C. Williams: 76
B. Young: 74
K. Murray: 73
C. Ward: 71 pic.twitter.com/I5S745LfTn

— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) July 30, 2025

The good news is Madden is not real life; it takes its cues from the game, sure, but Ward has a whole season to show the game's top brass what he's made of, especially with Will Levis out with a shoulder injury. Plus, the quarterback seemed to predict he'd fall in this range, anyway. So hopefully, he's not too pressed about it.

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