A new Title Update for Madden NFL 26 is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, November 19th, and EA has released notes detailing all the changes being made. There is a lot packed into the upcoming update, so check out the notes directly from EA below:
For the original Gridiron Notes from EA, click here.
Be All-Madden
We’re celebrating the legacy of Coach John Madden with our latest title update. Be All-Madden is coming and it’s a tribute to the man who helped define football for generations of players and fans.
This update brings Coach’s spirit to every corner of Madden NFL 26. Take the field in the All-Madden Legacy Game, where the historic All-Madden Team faces off against today’s NFL Superstars in a clash of eras featuring new presentation, commentary, and audio honoring the voice that taught the world how to love football.
In Franchise Mode, step into greatness as Coach Madden himself with the all-new Master Motivator archetype — complete with new coach abilities, playsheets, and playbooks inspired by his original game designs.
Pursue greatness in Superstar Mode with a new questline inspired by Madden’s core football philosophies, and build your roster in Ultimate Team with a program celebrating the legends and play styles that define what it means to Be All-Madden… more on our upcoming Ultimate Team programs soon!
From his unmistakable voice to his unmatched football wisdom, this update honors the coach, the commentator, and the legend whose name lives on every Sunday.
All-Madden Legacy Game
Step into a historic matchup that defines what it means to Be All-Madden.
In this special event, the legendary All-Madden Team faces off against the current NFL Superstars. A true clash of generations that celebrates the history, passion, and personality of Coach Madden in the historic Coliseum.
Coming packed with a full presentation experience including audio and visual tributes drawn from decades of Madden history.
Sights & Sounds of Greatness: Celebrating Coach Madden’s Legacy
- All-New Commentary Lines: Fresh booth dialogue celebrating Coach Madden’s Thanksgiving traditions and his impact on players, franchises, and fans across the league.
- Legendary Madden Calls: Hear authentic commentary from Coach Madden himself, including original lines from our archives spotlighting gridiron greats like Jerry Rice, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Terrell Owens.
- Throwback Theme Music: The iconic Madden NFL 06 theme song returns to set the tone.
- Team Select: Unique sound effects featuring John Madden voice samples, a custom broadcast watermark, and a jumbotron package.
- Postgame Celebration: To the victors go the spoils! Finish the game with a postgame Turducken celebration, the ultimate Madden Thanksgiving tradition.
Across Madden NFL 26, you’ll also see new presentation updates celebrating Coach’s legacy, including an all-new EA SPORTS Bootflow, Press Any Button, and Main Menu video that are all inspired by iconic Madden moments.
Access the All-Madden Legacy Game directly from the main menu and experience the spirit of the game through Coach’s eyes.
Step into Greatness: Play as Coach John Madden in Franchise Mode!
To honor Coach Madden’s impact on the game, we’ve introduced a brand-new Coach Archetype: “Master Motivator.” Inspired by Madden’s unmatched passion and leadership, this archetype features 7 new abilities, 2 unique playsheets, and 2 all-new playbooks — each crafted around Coach Madden’s signature style, including several plays recreated from the original John Madden Football game.
We’re also thrilled to introduce an iconic addition to Franchise Mode — the ability to Play as John Madden himself! Choose the Las Vegas Raiders and select a unique Coach Tile to take command as the legendary coach, leading your team on a quest to bring another Super Bowl trophy home to the Silver and Black.
We’ve also added a unique Coach Madden jacket that you can rep on any of your custom coaches!
New Coach Madden Abilities & Playsheets
We’re honoring Coach Madden’s legacy with a set of new abilities and playsheets that capture his core football philosophies — from pounding the rock to teaching the game the right way.
- Boom! Run It Right at ’Em: Boosts to help the offensive running game.
- Philosophy: Coach Madden believed in winning up front — playing physical, running downhill, and controlling the tempo through a relentless ground game.
- Make ’Em Cover It All: Boosts to the offensive play action pass game and Wide Receivers.
- Philosophy: Once defenses sold out to stop the run, Madden dialed up deep shots and quick passes to keep them honest — forcing them to defend the whole field.
- Win With Four: Boosts to the Defensive Line Pass Rushing.
- Philosophy: Defense starts in the trenches. Madden preached pressure with the front four, freeing linebackers and DBs to fly around and make plays without blitzing heavy.
- Jam ’Em Up: Boost attributes to help the secondary in Press and Zone Ratings.
- Philosophy: Physical coverage was key — jam receivers, disrupt timing, and make every throw a tough one.
- Teach ’Em Up: Boosts Awareness, Play Recognition, Stamina, and Catching to strengthen the mental side of the game.
- Philosophy: Coach Madden always said great football starts upstairs. Teach ’Em Up rewards players who study, react, and execute — sharpening their football IQ to outthink the competition.
- All-Madden Effort: Boosts Acceleration, Strength, Change of Direction, and Speed to enhance the physical side of the game.
- Philosophy: The All-Madden name stood for toughness and hustle. This ability channels that physical grit — the burst off the line, the drive through contact, and the relentless effort that defines greatness.
- Find the Right Guy: General Scouting Buffs for all Draft Prospects.
- Philosophy: It’s not about having the best 11 — it’s about the right 11. Coach Madden focused on finding players who fit the role and played their part to perfection.
- Old-School Football (Playsheet): Control the Game with Balanced Power Formations.
- Philosophy: Coach Madden preached balance and control. Win at the line, mix power runs with timely passes, and dictate the game’s rhythm by keeping defenses honest and on their heels.
- Hit ’Em at the Line (Playsheet): Tough Defensive Pressure out of 4–3, 3–4 & Nickel formations.
- Philosophy: Coach Madden believed defense starts with aggression . Attack from the snap, jam receivers, bring pressure from multiple looks, and set the tone by making offenses uncomfortable on every play.
That is everything you need to know about Be All-Madden! Let’s hop into our additional updates coming in this title update to Madden NFL 26!
Gameplay
Mid-Season X-Factor Shuffle
New X-Factors
- Puka Nacua | Rams, WR
- X-Factor: Double Me
- Short In Elite
- Mid In Elite
- Route Technician
- Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers, QB
- X-Factor: Brick Wall
- Pass Lead Elite
- Inside Deadeye
- Gutsy Scrambler
- Jonathan Taylor | Colts, HB
- X-Factor: Freight Train
- Arm Bar
- Tank
- Closer
- Dak Prescott | Cowboys, QB
- X-Factor: Run & Gun
- Anchored Extender
- Gutsy Scrambler
- Inside Deadeye
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks, WR
- X-Factor: Double Me
- Deep Out Elite
- Mid Out Elite
- Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions, HB
- X-Factor: First One Free
- Evasive
- Human Joystick
New Superstars
- Jared Goff | Lions, QB
- Pocket Deadeye
- Tyler Warren | Colts, TE
- Mid Out Elite
- Short Out Elite
- Jake Ferguson | Cowboys, TE
- Mid In Elite
- Short Out Elite
- Matt Stafford | Rams, QB
- Set Feet Lead
- Long Range Deadeye
- De'Von Achane | Dolphins, HB
- Backfield Mismatch
- Devin Lloyd | Jaguars, MIKE
- Pick Artist
- Short Route KO
- Jordan Love | Packers, QB
- Tight Out
- Sideline Deadeye
- Rico Dowdle | Panthers, HB
- Tank
- Bucky Irving | Buccaneers, HB
- Juke Box
- Human Joystick
- Leonard Williams | Seahawks, DT
- El Toro
- BOGO
- Garret Bolles | Broncos, LT
- Secure Protector
- Nik Bonitto | Broncos, REDGE
- Edge Threat
No longer designated as X-Factors
- Travis Kelce | Chiefs, TE
- Matt Milano | Bills, WILL
- Jaire Alexander | Ravens, CB
- AJ Brown | Eagles, WR
- Kyle Hamilton | Ravens, S
- Quinnen Williams | Cowboys, DT
No longer designated as Superstars
- Cooper Kupp | Seahawks, WR
- DJ Moore | Bears, WR
- David Njoku | Browns, TE
- Tua Tagovailoa | Dolphins, QB
- Matthew Judon | Dolphins, REDGE
- Evan Engram | Broncos, TE
- Marlon Humphrey | Ravens, CB
- Alvin Kamara | Saints, HB
- Chris Olave | Saints, WR
- Nick Chubb | Texans, HB
- Marshon Lattimore | Commanders, CB
- Tariq Woolen | Seahawks, CB
Gameplay General
- Addressed unrealistic QB speed boost when doing the QB Juke in the backfield without holding Sprint
- Improved defender pursuit so they now maintain a containment pursuit angle against QB Juke
- DEV NOTE: We have addressed both aspects of the QB Jukes behind the LOS to escape the pocket tactic. Users no longer get a speed boost and defenders keep better containment. The move’s effectiveness has been rebalanced to prevent it from being used to exploit defensive behavior.
- Fixed an issue preventing an audible to a new defensive play when a receiver is in motion during an automotion play
- Returned Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty’s signature pre-snap stance to the upright stance
- Tuning to make ‘Ice the Kicker’ more consistently trigger in appropriate situations
- Changed the route in the Gun Bunch X Nasty - Y Flat Goalline play to a more authentic route
- Fixed an issue where changing Wear & Tear Subs at play call would reset all other coach adjustments
- Addressed an issue where blitzing an off ball linebacker or mugging the A-gap with your user would sometimes result in a DT coming free against a Double Team block.
- Defensive pass rushers now disengage earlier when the QB starts to scramble out of the pocket
- DEV NOTE: During our investigation of the QB Juke move behind the LOS we also found that the pass rushers were not disengaging early enough to contain QBs escaping the pocket. Given that QB scrambling has been a consistent point of feedback from our players, this update is aimed at improving overall gameplay balance. The goal is more realistic pocket play while still allowing for strategic QB mobility.
AI Play
- Modified AI run game playcalling logic - to rely more heavily on their most effective run types.
- Reduced unnecessary skill moves by ball carriers - inside the tackles and behind the line of scrimmage ball carriers focus on north-south running.
- Improved AI QB’s taking unnecessary sacks - better consideration of throwing the ball away when all receivers are covered.
- Improved AI QB decision-making when the game clock is low — QBs now manage the clock better by targeting the end zone or throwing the ball away near halftime and in late-game situations.
Playbooks
This update is featuring a robust update to our playbooks. We have added over 1,000 plays to various playbooks, including 17 new formations and 280+ new plays throughout.
Offensive Playbook Additions:
- 49ers
- Gun Empty Bunch Tight (NEW)
- Gun Trips X Nasty
- Singleback Wing Flex Close
- Singleback-Wing Flex Close
- Bears
- Gun Empty Chips Nasty
- Gun Wing Flex Offset Wk (NEW)
- Bengals
- Gun Bunch Trio Open
- Gun Deuce Close
- Bills
- Gun Split Y Off
- Gun Trey Y-Flex
- Broncos
- Full House Tight (NEW)
- Gun Doubles Hip
- Gun Empty Base Flex
- Pistol Doubles Y Off
- Browns
- Gun Bunch X-Nasty
- Gun Deuce Close
- Bucs
- Gun 5WR Tight
- Gun Tight Open
- Cardinals
- Goal Line Normal
- Gun Bunch X-Nasty
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Chargers
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips Close
- Chiefs
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Colts
- Singleback Bunch
- Singleback-Wing Pair Heavy
- Strong I-Pro
- Commanders
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Bunch Str Offset
- Pistol Full House
- Cowboys
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Pistol Strong Y Off Close
- Dolphins
- Gun Go Go Twins Flex (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Eagles
- Gun Wing (NEW)
- Singleback Deuce (NEW)
- Falcons
- Pistol-Doubles Y Off Stack (NEW)
- Pistol-U Off Trips
- Giants
- Gun Split Y Off Close (NEW)
- Pistol-Full House
- Jaguars
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Gun Wing HB Wk Close
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
- Jets
- Gun Tight Open
- Gun Wing Tight Flip (NEW)
- Pistol Deuce
- Lions
- Gun Bunch Y-Trips (NEW)
- Maryland I Close (NEW)
- Maryland I Tight Close (NEW)
- Packers
- Gun Split Y Off Close (NEW)
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Gun Trio
- Panthers
- Gun Tight Y Off
- Singleback Deuce Close
- Patriots
- Gun Tight Slots HB Wk
- Singleback Wing Close
- Raiders
- Gun U Off Trips Flex (NEW)
- Pistol Deuce Close
- Pistol Slot
- Rams
- Gun Trips TE
- Gun Y Off Trio Close
- Ravens
- Gun Y Off Trio Close
- Singleback Deuce Close
- Saints
- Gun Bunch TE Wk (NEW)
- Strong Wing Close (NEW)
- Seahawks
- Gun Doubles Z Close Wk
- Singleback Deuce Close
- Weak Wing (NEW)
- Steelers
- Gun Wing Trips Wk Nasty (NEW)
- Singleback Bunch X Nasty
- Texans
- Gun Box
- Gun Bunch Spread Nasty
- Gun Bunch X Nasty
- Titans
- Gun Bunch Spread
- Gun Bunch Y-Trips (NEW)
- Vikings
- Gun Box
- Gun Bunch TE
- Gun Empty Chips Tight
- Singleback Wing Close
- Benkert’s Dimes
- Gun Doubles Flex
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Trio HB Wk
- Gun Y-Trips Wk
280+ new plays are coming as well, all pulled from the real NFL season! Here are some of our favorites:
- Bengals: Gun Bunch Trio Open | Dagger Swap X-Slant — TD pass to Ja’Marr Chase vs JAX, Week 2
- Chiefs: Gun Bunch Spread Nasty | Mtn Drive HB Trail — TD pass vs Lions, Week 6
- Cowboys: Pistol Strong Y Off Close | Trail Speed Out — TD pass vs Giants, Week 2
- Dolphins: Gun Go Go Twins Flex | Mesh Traffic — TD pass against the Falcons in week 8
- Jaguars: Gun Y Off Trio Wk | Slot Deep Corner - TD Pass to Travis Hunter vs Rams, Week 7
- Lions: Maryland I Close | SFT HB Zone Wk — New formation vs Ravens, Week 3
- Patriots: Gun Tight Slots HB Wk | Mtn Dig X-Corner — TD pass vs Saints, Week 6
- Rams: Gun Y Off Trio Close | Mtn X-Dig Slot Corner — TD pass vs Colts, Week 4
- Steelers: Gun Wing Trips Wk Nasty | Shuffle Shock HB Choice Go — TD pass vs Patriots, Week 3
We’ve added several new defensive formations designed for passing situations where defenses want to show pressure pre-snap and disguise whether they’re bringing the blitz or dropping into coverage:
- Nickel Load Dbl Mug
- 2-4 Load Dbl Mug
- 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
Defensive Playbook Updates:
- Broncos
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
- Browns
- Added: 4-3 Even 6-1; Nickel Single Mug, Load Mug
- Buccaneers
- Added: Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug
- Cowboys
- Added: 4-3 Even 6-1; 3-4 Tite, Over ED; Nickel Single Mug, Double Mug, 3-3 Load Mug, 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
- Added plays to Dime Rush: Cover 2 Roll, SS Sim Pressure 3, and CB Contain Spy
- Removed: 4-3 Under, Over Solid; 46 Bear; Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug
- Dolphins
- Added: 3-4 Under, Over; 4-3 Even 6-1, Tite Leo
- Removed: 4-3 Over Walk
- Falcons
- Added: 3-4 Cub
- Giants
- Added: 3-4 Under 4 Tech, Over Solid; 4-3 Over, Under; 5-2 Normal; Nickel 3-3 Over, 3-3 Single Mug, Dbl Mug, Wide; Dime Rush, Single Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Under, Even; 4-4 Split; Nickel 2-4, 2-4 Dbl Mug; Dime 2-3 Will, and 1-4
- Patriots
- Added: 4-3 Over, Over Walk; 5-2 Normal; Nickel Single Mug, Load Mug, Wide, 3-3 Over, 3-3 Dbl Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Odd; 4-4 Split; Nickel 2-4, 2-4 Single Mug, 2-4 Load Mug, 2-4 Dbl Mug
- Raiders
- Added: 4-3 Over, Over Walk, Under; 3-4 Over; Nickel Double Mug
- Removed: 3-4 Odd, Bear, Cub; Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug
- Rams
- Added: Nickel 2-4 Load Dbl Mug
- Ravens
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
- Saints
- Added: Nickel Load Dbl Mug
- Steelers
- Added: Nickel 3-3 Load Dbl Mug
Playbook Fixes:
- Addressed an issue in 3-4 Cover 3 Match plays in which Curl Flats were used instead of Seam Flat assignments.
- Addressed a Show Blitz alignment issue with 3-3-5 Penny 3 High formation.
Presentation
- Added a hip-hop legend starting the Terrible Towel Twirl in Pittsburgh
- Added a Seahawks legend raising the 12th Man Flag in Seattle
- Added a beloved raccoon plunging the Sword of Honor in Tennessee
- Fixed the camera popping in the pre-snap camera in Superstar: The League
- Fixed the issue with camera popping that would occur after an interception in Superstar: The League
- Fixed the issue with the broken camera that could appear after defensive replays in the Halftime Show and Weekly Recap
- Fixed the issue with the Pro Bowl text appearing in the touchdown banner for Superstar: Showdown
Franchise Mode
Wear and Tear Sliders
Added the Wear & Tear sliders to Franchise mode, allowing players to fine-tune how physical performance degradation impacts their teams over time.
These sliders give users more control over how hits, snaps, and recovery affect player health and stamina throughout the season.
You can now independently adjust:
- Per-Play Impact – How much wear accumulates from each snap or collision.
- Tackle Impact Scale - How much wear accumulates from each Tackle.
- Hit Stick Impact Scale - How much wear accumulates from each Hit Stick collision.
- Cut Stick Impact Scale - How much wear accumulates from each Cut Stick collision.
- Catch Tackle Scale - How much wear accumulates from each Catch Tackle collision.
- Time Out Recovery – How much recovery occurs between each Time Out.
- End of Quarter Recovery – How much recovery occurs between each Quarter
- Halftime Recovery - How much recovery occurs at Halftime.
- Per-Game Recovery – How much recovery occurs between games.
- Per-Week Recovery – How quickly players regain health and stamina week to week.
Implemented preset recovery strategies — Normal, Keep It Fresh, and Grind It Out — for each position group, complementing the new Wear & Tear sliders to enhance control over player fatigue and recovery balance.
The Wear and Tear strategies are available under the Auto-Sub Screen under Manage Team and the Impact Scale and Recovery settings are available within the League settings.
This system is designed to give Franchise players more flexibility in creating a realistic or arcade-style experience that fits their preferred playstyle.
Coach Ability Tuning
In an effort to make coach abilities more powerful, we took a pass on all abilities tuning several of the modifiers used by gameplay coach abilities within Franchise Mode. The increase in ability power was designed to make choices feel more meaningful and impactful, mirroring the influence that top NFL coaches have in shaping game plans and matchups. By raising the effectiveness of key abilities across blocking, coverage, tackling, and passing, we hope that you will feel a greater sense of differentiation between strategic loadout builds and playstyle decisions. We also want to deepen the week-to-week chess match, where anticipating and countering an opponent’s strengths becomes as crucial as executing your own.
Blocking & Pass Rush Modifiers
- Increased Offensive Line Blocking success modifiers (includes significant win success and double-team scenarios)
- Increased Pass Rush success modifiers (includes significant win success and shedding double teams)
Offensive Ability Modifiers
- Increased Pass Accuracy Modifiers (All Distances)
- Increased Out of Pocket Pass Accuracy Modifiers
- Increased Play Action Success Modifiers
- Increased Max Throw Distance Modifier
- Increased Broken Tackle Success Modifier
- Increased Broken Sack Success Modifier
- Increased Blitz Highlight Success Modifier
- Increased Hit Stick Broken Tackle Success Modifier
Defensive Ability Modifiers
- Increased Zone Coverage Success Modifiers
- Increased Man Coverage Success Modifiers
- Increased Pursuit Modifier
- Increased Break on Ball Modifier
- Increased Press Success Modifier
- Increased Interception Chance Modifier
- Increased Tackle Success Modifier
- Increased Hit Stick Timing Modifier
- Increased Missed Tackle Fatigue Modifiers (Includes increases to recouping & expending)
- Increased Missed Hit Stick Fatigue Modifier (Includes increases to recouping & expending)
Attribute Boost Abilities
In addition to increasing the power of gameplay abilities, we also adjusted the amount that attributes are increased when using an attribute boost ability. Previously all attribute based abilities like Field General, Work Horse and Mano-A-Mano would increase attributes +4 for each tier and that has now increased to +7 for those abilities.
Upgrade, Downgrade and Knockout Goals
- Fixed several issues where some coach abilities were using incorrect goals
- Adjusted a large number of Tier 4 Knockout Goals to be more forgiving.
- DEV NOTE: Because Tier 4 Knockout goals can stick around for multiple mastery tiers, we wanted to ensure that they remain active longer to offer a smoother and more rewarding progression experience. All Tier 4 KO goals are now cumulative goals preventing instances where one bad game could downgrade a Tier 4 ability.
Playsheets
Added four new playsheets to complement the existing library (in addition to those added for Madden Week):
- Max Protect (Offensive) - Focused on passing plays with six or more players in protection, designed to counter strong pass rushes and blitz-heavy defenses.
- Tier 2: +5 Deep Route Running and Spec Catch for WR/TE on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Deep Accuracy and +2 Throw Power for QB's on Playsheet Plays
- TIer 4: +7 to all Pass Blocking Attributes for the OL on Playsheet Plays
- Mug Life (Defensive) - Built entirely around mug defensive formations, intended to confuse offensive protections and incorporates several new formations and plays introduced in TU4.
- Tier 2: +5 Power and Finesse Moves for EDGE and DT on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +3 Man and Zone Coverage for all LB, CB, FS and SS on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +5 Play Rec for all defenders on Playsheet Plays
- The Manifesto (Defensive) - A man-coverage–focused playsheet, boosting man coverage ratings across the defense at higher tiers. Fills a gap in the existing defensive playbook lineup by emphasizing pure man coverage tactics.
- Tier 2: +5 Man Coverage and Play Rec for all LB on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Man Coverage and Play Rec for FS and SS on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +7 Man Coverage and Press for all CBs on Playsheet Plays
- Deep Freeze (Defensive) - A zone-coverage based playsheet aimed at neutralizing deep passes. Emphasizes Cover 2 and Cover 4 drop concepts to protect over the top and force offenses into shorter passing games.
- Tier 2: +5 Finesse and Power Moves for all EDGE and DT on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 3: +5 Man and Zone Coverage for all CB on Playsheet Plays
- Tier 4: +7 Zone Coverage and Play Rec for FS and SS on Playsheet Plays
UI
- All 2025 season Rivalries matchups are now available in Play Now.
- Fixed team colors appearing incorrectly in some Franchise narrative scenes.
- Removed Audio Output Device Type from Settings.
- Fixed issue with post-game Score HUD appearing before exiting the game.
- Titans coach replaced with generic portrait.
Art
- Added the gold NFL Shield for NFL award winners. The following players will now sport the gold NFL logo on their jersey in-game.
- MVP: Josh Allen
- Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley
- Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II
- Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels
- Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse
- Likeness updates for the following players:
- Brandon Jones | Broncos, FS
- Chase Brown | Bengals, RB
- Spencer Rattler | Saints, QB
- Bucky Irving | Buccaneers, RB
What are you most excited to see in the upcoming Title Update?
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