Madden 99 Club: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes earns top honor

Football fans, it’s that time of year! Madden NFL 24 is set to release next month, but before that comes the game’s highly coveted 99 Club reveal.

The 99 Club represents the highest video-game honor known to man — and the highest the game has to offer — signaling that a player has virtually no flaws at his position.

Wide receiver was the first position to have its 99 ratings unveiled, followed by defensive lineman, offensive lineman and tight ends. Last but not least, the quarterback position was unveiled Friday. Cornerback, running back, edge rusher and linebacker were among the positions that didn’t have any players with a 99 overall rating.

That said, who made the cut?

Let’s take a look at the members of this year’s Madden 99 Club.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

The defending NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP has secured his third 99 overall mark.

Mahomes led the league in passing yards (his 5,250 was over 500 more than second-place Justin Herbert’s total) and passing touchdowns (41) last season before leading the Chiefs to a late comeback victory in Super Bowl LV, winning his second career championship and Super Bowl MVP in the process. He did all of this despite nursing a high-ankle sprain.

Mahomes’ 23,957 passing yards in his first five seasons are the most for any starting quarterback in his first five seasons in NFL history. He has also led the Chiefs at least as far as the AFC Championship Game in each of those years.

Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Mahomes’ favorite pass-catcher is once again a 99 overall player, marking the fourth time in his career that he has received the honorer — the most ever for a tight end.

Kelce has not only been the best tight end in the league for several years, but he has arguably made a real case to be considered the best tight end in NFL history. He had 110 receptions for 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He added 27 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns over three games in the playoffs, helping the Chiefs win another Super Bowl.

The 33-year-old the 2023-24 season with the fourth-most receiving yards ever by a tight end and the sixth-most receiving touchdowns for a tight end.

Zack Martin, G, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys star is the first guard to earn a 99 overall rating since Dallas legend and Hall of Famer Larry Allen achieved the honor in 2003. Martin has been one of the NFL’s best guards since he entered the league in 2014. He has been a Pro Bowler in eight of his nine seasons and has been named first-team All-Pro six times, including in four of the past five years.

In a video announcing Martin’s 99 overall status, many NFL stars showered him with praise. “The top of the game of where offensive guards should be,” Martin’s teammate Micah Parsons said. “So, it’s time for Madden to give him his 99.”

Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

No surprises here. The always-dominant Donald has made the 99 club for the seventh time in his career, surpassing Peyton Manning for the all-time record. Donald appeared in a career-low 11 games last season due to an ankle ailment, but he was every bit his usual assertive force when he did play.

Donald finished the campaign with 49 combined tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and five sacks. He also tallied 11 QB hits, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, making his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl.

Donald leads the list of defensive tackles in the game, followed by Chris Jones (96 overall rating), Dexter Lawrence II (94), Quinnen Williams (93) and Cameron Heyward (93).

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Jefferson landed on this year’s list after another brilliant season with Minnesota, in which he led the NFL in both receiving yards (1,809) and receptions (128). He also led the league in big plays (plays of 20-plus yards) with 28.

Jefferson has been a dominant pass-catcher since he entered the league in 2020, having tallied the most receiving yards in NFL history through a player’s first three seasons (4,825) — smashing Randy Moss’ previous total (4,163) by more than 600 yards. The three-time Pro Bowler is also the record-holder for most yards per game (96.5) and was a first-team All-Pro selection last season.

The reigning Offensive Player of the Year beat out Tyreek Hill (98 overall rating), Davante Adams (97), Stefon Diggs (96), Cooper Kupp (96), Ja’Marr Chase (94), DeAndre Hopkins (93), Terry McLaurin (92), A.J. Brown (91) and Amari Cooper (91) for the top honor.

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