https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ea-nfl-extend-exclusive-madden-deal
So… yep, that’s depressing.
I'm sure they were eager to get this done before 2k releases their game. The NFL probably profited from that and EA had to pay a hefty price. So they have to raise profit for the game in the future. You know what that means.