The Kansas City Chiefs’ fan base is upset after quarterback Patrick Mahomes was left out of the 99 Club in Madden NFL 26. Cincinnati Bengals legend Chad Johnson, who oversees player ratings for the game, recently responded to the three-time Super Bowl champion’s fans after receiving backlash on social media.
Chad Johnson Addresses Patrick Mahomes’ Madden NFL 26 Rating
The official 99-club in Madden NFL 26 has been revealed a few weeks ahead of the game’s release, and like every other year, some fans are not too happy. This time, it seems like it’s the Chiefs Kingdom that is voicing some frustration, feeling like their fearless leader has been snubbed.
It’s indisputable that Mahomes is one of the greatest quarterbacks we have ever seen, so it seems appropriate for him to land among the best of the best in overall ratings, right? After all, Buffalo Bills quarterback and 2025 MVP Josh Allen notably ranks in the 99 club this year, and his team lost to Mahomes in the playoffs. Even Lamar Jackson, whose team lost in the Divisional Round, has a 99 rating in the game’s new edition.
So, Mahomes doesn’t have the same rating as Allen and Jackson, but just how much lower could he possibly be? It turns out, not much at all. In fact, according to Johnson, the Chiefs quarterback only missed the 99 Club by a single rating tick!
That’s right. Chiefs fans are reportedly upset that their quarterback has been ranked a 98 in Madden NFL 26. To be fair, some fans have voiced their opinion, saying that the rating is fine with them. However, the initial backlash was overwhelming, so much so that former wide receiver turned analyst “Ochocinco” had to officially respond.
Johnson is a well-known admirer of Mahomes, as most are; however, he is also known for speaking the truth the way he sees it, more than anything else. And here, it is challenging to argue with his logic as he clapped back at irate Chiefs fans.
Chiefs fans yall big mad, huh 😂@ShannonSharpe @ochocinco @ShayShayMedia_ pic.twitter.com/nOZAAm23O1
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) July 29, 2025
As he notes in the clip above, “Oh, he’s a 98. The rating is based on your performance and what you did last year,” Johnson said on the “Nightcap” podcast. “I’m not sure why people, Chiefs fans, they fussing at me. They arguing with me. It’s not a bad thing.”
Johnson, along with Shannon Sharpe, went after Chiefs fans at length, seemingly tasked with letting the kingdom know that 98 is “great.”
Johnson further highlighted Mahomes’ greatness and added, “What Patrick Mahomes has done so far in such a very short amount of time in his career, he is like Superman in a sense. To the point where we’re comparing him to Brady, and he’s still active with a long way to go.”
He’s right. A Madden NFL 26 rating of 98 is not a bad thing, and as both Johnson and Sharpe spoke about, Mahomes’ performance was quite a bit less-than-perfect in 2024. Considering, as Johnson points out, that “Patrick Mahomes, last year, ‘Unc,’ he only threw for 3,928 yards.”
Johnson goes on to point out that even quarterbacks such as Sam Darnold and Geno Smith threw for more yards than Mahomes last year. Obviously, Mahomes remains one of the greatest QBs in the game, and one season under 4,000 throwing yards doesn’t change that. So, relax, Chiefs fans, 98 is not just appropriate, it’s good.
