Our suspicions for T.J. Watt's player rating in the upcoming Madden 26 video game have been confirmed. In the past, Pittsburgh Steelers fans were furious when Watt was snubbed of earning a 99 overall rating (the highest in the game). Unsurprisingly, Watt missed out on the '99 Club' once again.
On Monday morning, Madden released the seven players to make the '99 Club'. This included quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase, and offensive tackle Lane Johnson.
Oh, and edge rusher Myles Garrett, of course. Steelers fans won't love to see this.
Garrett was first inducted into the Madden NFL '99 Club' back on July 19, 2022, for the Madden NFL 23 video game. Three years later, the Cleveland Browns' All-Pro edge rusher still finds himself with a maxed-out rating on Madden 26... and T.J. Watt has to be furious.
Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt can use '99 Club' snub as added fuel for the 2025 season
The Pittsburgh Steelers just showed you what they think of T.J. Watt when they handed him a three-year, $123 million contract extension—the biggest contract for a defender in NFL history, in terms of yearly value. But Madden's player rating staff doesn't hold Watt in the same esteem.
To be fair, Watt was notably quiet down the stretch of the 2024 season. After a remarkable start to the year, Watt recorded just two sacks in the final five games of the season, while rarely finding himself in the backfield.
As if he needed another that most of the nation currently views Myles Garrett as the better player, he just got one... and he could use this as rage fuel for 2025.
With all due respect, Garrett was fantastic last season. He once again showed himself to be one of the most lethal pure pass rushers in the NFL. But what stings the most is that there were multiple seasons (2019-202)1 in which Watt truly deserved to be in the '99 Club', but never made it.
We don't yet know what T.J. Watt's player rating on EA's Madden NFL 26 will be, but you can bet that the Steelers star won't be satisfied with anything short of a 99. You can bet that Watt is getting sick of hearing about Garrett, and he'll be out to silence doubters in 2025.