EA Sports surprised NFL fans on Tuesday with the announcement that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is now available in Madden NFL 21. Fans can add him to any roster in Franchise mode or use him in the quick Play Now session. The developer confirmed alongside the announcement that Kaepernick is rated as a “starting-caliber” QB and is 81 overall. This stat places him above Derek Carr, Cam Newton, Josh Allen and defending Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray.
With this news surfacing on Tuesday, Twitter users began to sound off. Several were against the decision and said that EA Sports was just trying to be “woke.” Many others expressed excitement about Kaepernick returning to Madden NFL for the first time in several years, but they had issues with his rating. These fans felt that Kaepernick should be in the low 70s at best due to his time away from the football field and his struggles in 2016. Although one other group just said that EA Sports only added Kaepernick to the roster to distract from the “trash game.”
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Does it congratulate you when you cut him also?
— Mark (@Halo_3128) September 8, 2020
Lmao 81 ovr this dude got benched for Blaine gabbert but ok
— Anthony Kurkal (@Veins_On_Ice) September 8, 2020
Yeah but he’s been training and staying in shape trying to get back into the league all those years.
— Jay (@JayJeezy14) September 8, 2020
As an 81… he ain’t even better than Jameis Winston anymore and he’s a 76. Come on now…
— Dylan Turner (@dylan15150) September 8, 2020
naw u can’t sign him cuz he didn’t show up to ur tryouts
— Connor McDonald (@BigMac2069) September 8, 2020
I think the issue is that they made him an 81 overall, which for reference is 4 points higher than Kyler Murray who won ROY last year. Are we really going to say that Kaepernick is better than Murray? Like…really lol
— Pitt (@PantherPolitics) September 8, 2020
how did he go from a 74 overall on Madden 17 to a 81 overall in Madden 21? 🧐
— Bryan Carrington (@BCarringtonUT) September 8, 2020
calling this the whole game pic.twitter.com/rfOwVLDabw
— nadrew disney ➐ (@bbzthegod) September 8, 2020
81 overall is a bit generous, but whatever. Nice gesture 👍
— NY_KIA31#GAMETIME (@ny_kia31_sports) September 8, 2020
(2) This is what I’m referring to. Has Kap signed with a team? This doesn’t seem like genuine support for Kap – rather an exception to capitalize on a PR ploy disguised as social justice. Remember, @EASPORTS removed Kap’s name from a song lyric once … pic.twitter.com/rzYioohLV2
— James A. (@smashbery) September 8, 2020
Facts. He’s a 70-72 for me
— PLEASE EXTEND KAMARA (@YungSky12819) September 8, 2020
Madden 21’s logic should allow this guy back into the game. pic.twitter.com/ZXRDtqiLdL
— Danny Christoffers (@dchristoffers) September 8, 2020
soooo, yall saying hes the 15th best QB in the nfl? same rating as big ben and better than tannehill, baker, cam, and derek carr? Even though he bombed his workout and nobody wanted him???????? its fine if he’s in the league but damn thats a stretch
— Sam Stitt (@SamStitt1) September 8, 2020
I didn’t even see dez Bryant or antonio brown
— Jacob Whitehead (@Jacob2382301) September 8, 2020
Something makes me suspect that this is not an absolutely genuine move. pic.twitter.com/DRy4OYkpYZ
— Taylor Svehlak (@TaylorSvehlak) September 8, 2020
Yea they reachin a little bit with the 81. I get what they tryin to do, but thats too much ass kissin for me.
— Mr. Boutté (@TheRealMrBoutte) September 8, 2020
I’m in full support of @Kaepernick7 both on and off the field but if this doesn’t come off as virtue signaling by a major corporation I don’t know what does. Complete with his very own signing screen and player card like you caught a Pokémon.
— Ryan Keeffe (@IamRyanKeeffe) September 8, 2020
In short order…
— Public Lenemy #1🦁 (@NJDevastator) September 8, 2020
– This doesn’t fix your current product in any way.
– Kap shouldn’t have been out of the game to begin with.
– Madden NFL 12’s Franchise Mode shouldn’t have been torn down, it should’ve been built upon.
– I have no confidence the next gen will be any better. pic.twitter.com/ApHAvm6q0T
He was a 72 in the last game he was in
— billy (@billy42062981) September 8, 2020
not defending him being higher than cam but he went 1-10 his last season cause the entire team was garbo. QB can only do so much
— FaultyLogic (@faultylogick) September 8, 2020
But now you can do it on any team
— Dan (@dswe525) September 8, 2020
