Madden 99 Club: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce receives another near-perfect rating

Travis Kelce has broken several records on the field during his career. He has now set a record in the video game world, too.

The Kansas City Chiefs star is the latest player to be named to the 99 Club in Madden 25. It marks the fifth time that Kelce has earned a 99 overall rating in the Madden series, which is the most ever for a tight end.

Kelce is the fourth player named to the 99 Club in Madden 25. Kelce’s former Chiefs teammate, Tyreek Hill, was the first to be named to the club for this year’s game. The Miami Dolphins star was the only receiver tabbed and is the first player in franchise history to ever receive a 99 overall rating.

A pair of San Francisco 49ers stars are also in the 99 Club. Running back and Madden 25 cover star Christian McCaffrey and offensive tackle Trent Williams were named to the club earlier this week. 

It’s likely that the Chiefs, who beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, will become the second team to have two players in the 99 Club when the ratings for quarterbacks are unveiled. Patrick Mahomes has been a mainstay in the 99 Club since his emergence in 2018.

The other top-rated receivers in Madden 25 are the Minnesota Vikings‘ Justin Jefferson (98 overall) and the Dallas Cowboys‘ CeeDee Lamb (96 overall). Cleveland Browns star Nick Chubb was the second-highest-rated running back at 96 overall. 

The overall ratings for safeties, defensive linemen and edge rushers have also been unveiled, but no one received a 99. Atlanta Falcons star Jessie Bates III received the highest rating among all safeties at 97. Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Antoine Winfield Jr. had the second-highest rating among safeties, receiving a 94. Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones (97) was the highest-rated defensive lineman, while Dexter Lawrence II (95) of the New York Giants wasn’t too far behind. 

Micah Parsons of the Cowboys and Myles Garrett of the Browns were the two-highest rated edge rushers, with each falling a point short of the 99 Club with 98 overall ratings.

EA Sports will release rankings for each position throughout the week. 

Here’s a look at the 99 Club thus far.

Hill leads all players with 99 speed and is the highest-rated route runner in the game with 98 short, medium and deep route running. His incredible 2023 season was highlighted by a league-leading 1,799 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns, which was tied for the most in the NFL. Hill’s 119 catches were the second-most in the league.

The 30-year-old Super Bowl champion receiver was selected to his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl last year.

McCaffrey is in the 99 Club for the second time in his career, earning the honor again following a career year. He rushed for a league-high 1,459 yards on 5.4 yards per carry. He was also dynamic as a receiver, adding 67 receptions for 564 yards. He finished the regular season with 21 total touchdowns (14 rushing, seven receiving). McCaffrey won Offensive Player of the Year and finished third in MVP voting before leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl. 

McCaffrey is the fifth player in 49ers franchise history to earn a 99 overall rating, joining Terrell Owens, Patrick Willis, Ken Norton Jr. and Williams.

McCaffrey is the first cover athlete of the game to receive a 99 overall rating since Antonio Brown in Madden NFL 19.

Williams is in the 99 Club for a second straight season, earning the honor after his third straight first-team All-Pro season. Several analysts have regarded Williams as the best left tackle in football since he joined San Francisco in 2020. The 11-time Pro Bowler is actually in the middle of a holdout, missing the start of Niners camp as he seeks a new deal. Maybe back-to-back 99 Club honors can help Williams at the negotiating table?

Kelce has set the record for the most appearances by a tight end in the 99 Club after another strong season in Kansas City. The 34-year-old had 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns during the regular season. Even though Kelce had his fewest receiving yards in eight years, he earned another Pro Bowl nod. More importantly, he stepped up his play when it mattered the most, recording 32 receptions for 355 yards and three touchdowns in four postseason games. That included a 116-yard performance in the AFC Championship Game and a 93-yard performance in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.

Stay tuned for updates!

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