Madden 23: 99 Club Predictions and Live Tracker

Madden 23 ratings have become such a huge part of football culture that even the players take them seriously now with the newest installment of Madden, Madden 23, releasing on August 19, 2022. The 2021 NFL season had many breakout performances, so expect to see a lot of movement in the ratings this year across the board. Arguably the most exciting part before the season is finding out who made the coveted 99 Club.

Here are some predictions based on the previous year’s ratings and on-field performances. There have been some leaks, but only a few, so all but one or two names below are predictions.

Madden 23 99 Club predictions

Remember that these are predictions. Confirmed athletes can be located towards the bottom of the page.

1. Cooper Kupp (WR)

Previous Year Rating: 98 

Cooper Kupp should easily make the 99 Club in Madden 23. He led all receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, which earned him the receiving Triple Crown. Not only did he have one of the greatest seasons for a receiver in NFL history, but he also ended the year with 142 yards and two touchdowns to earn the Super Bowl LVI MVP. He finished the regular season with nearly 2,000 yards, 145 receptions, and 16 touchdowns. Kupp is also known to extend passing plays, leading all receivers with 846 yards after the catch. He added another six touchdowns and 478 receiving yards in the postseason.  

2. Aaron Donald (DT)

Previous Year Rating: 99  

Aaron Donald would have easily been named the Super Bowl LVI MVP if not for his teammate’s undeniable performance. He had two sacks in the game and applied pressure on a late-game 4th-and-1 to force an interception that sealed the win. Donald has won Defensive Player of the year three times, but exceeded his career-high in tackles in 2021. He recorded 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 84 tackles in the regular season. In the playoffs, he added another 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles. He was 99 OVR last year and likely should stay in the club as the surefire Hall of Famer is showing no signs of dropping off soon.  

Donald was a part of the 99 Club in Madden 22.

3. Josh Allen (QB)

Previous Year Rating: 89 

Josh Allen had an excellent 2021 season in the NFL. He became the first quarterback in history with 100 touchdown passes and 30 rushing touchdowns in their first four seasons. His 149.0 passer rating in the playoffs was the highest in a single postseason. He is great at scrambling when plays break down and has a very reliable target in Stefon Diggs. Allen does many things well and is arguably a top three quarterback in the NFL. He finished the regular season with 4,407 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also ran for another 763 yards and six touchdowns. In the postseason, he recorded 637 yards, nine touchdowns, and zero interceptions.  

4. Aaron Rodgers (QB)

Previous Year Rating: 95 

Aaron Rodgers earned his fourth overall and second consecutive M.V.P. in 2021. Seven percent of Rodger’s passes were touchdowns (37) and 0.8 percent were interceptions (four) to go with a 111.9 passer rating, all league highs for the season. Rodgers finished the season with 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns, a 68.9 completion percentage with only the four interceptions. Offseason issues aside, he is definitely worthy of a 99 OVR rating as arguably the most skilled passer of all time.

5. T.J. Watt (LB)

Previous Year Rating: 96 

T.J. Watt was the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He led the league in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits for the second time in a row. Watt tied the NFL record with 22.5 sacks (Michael Strahan, 2001). He was rated 96 OVR last year so his performance during the season should definitely propel him to the top. He finished the season with 64 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 39 quarterback hits, and five forced fumbles.  

6. Tom Brady (QB)

Previous Year Rating: 97 

How can the G.O.A.T. not make this list? Tom Brady continues to impress even in his 40s by leading the league in passing yards, completions, and touchdowns in 2021. He became the oldest person to pass for at least 5,000 yards as well as throwing for the third most yards in a single season in the history of the NFL. He finished the 2021 season with 5,316 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, a 67.4 completion percentage, and a 102.1 passer rating. He was rated 97 OVR last year before one of the best regular seasons of his career. He will likely rise to 99 this year.  

Madden 23 99 Club List (Live Tracker)

Here are the athletes revealed to be in the 99 Club in Madden 23. The reveals began on July 18 with the wide receiver positional rankings.

1. Trent Williams (OT) (Confirmed 99 OVR)

Previous Year Rating: 97 

Trent Williams is confirmed to be in the 99 Club. He made history as the only offensive lineman to ever accomplish a perfect rating in Madden. Williams was awarded Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2021. He is the best run-blocking tackle in the league while also being very effective as a one-on-one pass protector. He made history with a 96.6 out of 100 Pro Football Focus rating, the highest ever given to a player.  

Here is video of Williams being informed that he joined the 99 Club:

All player ratings will be uncovered on July 18th, a month before the game’s release. Most of the players above should make this list. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a few other players make it, but these seven will be hard to displace.

2. Davante Adams (WR) (Confirmed 99 OVR)

Previous Year Rating: 99

Five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro – all in consecutive years – Davante Adams was the first player aside from Williams to join the 99 Club in Madden 23. Adams rightfully rejoins the Club after making it in Madden 22 on the strength of another fantastic season where he totaled 1,553 yards on 123 receptions for 11 touchdowns.

Of course, the big news is that Adams was traded to Las Vegas during the off-season from his only home in the league, Green Bay, separating him from Aaron Rodgers. He looks to replicate his career success with his new quarterback Derek Carr, providing Carr with a legit top-line receiver to pair with the talented Darren Waller at tight end.

While Cupp was predicted to join the 99 Club, Adams is the only wideout to join the Club in Madden 23. Cupp didn’t miss by much, though; he is rated 98 OVR. Rounding out the top five are Tyreek Hill (97 OVR), DeAndre Hopkins (96 OVR), and Stefon Diggs (95 OVR).

3. Myles Garrett (DE) (Confirmed 99 OVR)

Previous Year Rating: 98

While Myles Garrett eventually had his Madden NFL 22 ratings raised to 99 during the 2022 seasons, he began last year’s edition of the game one tick off at 98 OVR. However, it was revealed on the morning of July 19 that Garrett is the newest member of the 99 Club, the third member named to Madden NFL 23’s 99 Club after Williams and Adams.

Garrett continues to wreak havoc off the edge, obliterating blockers, running backs, and quarterbacks alike. He played all 17 games in 2022, amassing 51 tackles (33 solo, 18 assisted) including 17 for loss, topping that off with 16 sacks. He also forced and recovered one fumble while scoring one defensive touchdown. He routinely sees double teams and yet still makes his way into the backfield regularly. He is well deserving of starting the season as a 99 Club member.

Garrett is the only 99 OVR rated edge rusher in the game. A predicted 99 Club member, T.J. Watt, is rated 96 OVR, the second best edge in the game. They’re followed by San Francisco rusher Nick Bosa, new Buffalo edge Von Miller, and new Charger Khalil Mack to round out the top five.

4. Aaron Donald (DL) (Confirmed 99 OVR)

The greatest interior defensive lineman in history, Aaron Donald marks his sixth straight 99 OVR rating in Madden, tied for the most 99 OVR ratings with Peyton Manning. Donald was announced as a member of the 99 Club on the morning of July 21 when the defensive linemen and cornerback ratings were revealed (CB Jalen Ramsey just missed the 99 Club with a 98 OVR).

Donald’s brief flirtation with retirement during the offseason was for naught as he re-signed with the Rams. Donald had another banner year during the 2021 season, capped off with a Super Bowl victory against the Bengals. Donald played all 17 games in 2021, amassing 84 combined tackles (38 solo, 46 assisted) along with 19 for loss. He added 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and four passes defended. In the Super Bowl victory, Donald had four tackles (three solo) with two for loss and importantly, two sacks and three more quarterback hits.

Donald is joined in the top five by Pittsburgh’s Cameron Heyward (93 OVR), Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea (93 OVR), Washington’s Jonathan Allen (92 OVR), and Kansas City’s Chris Jones (91 OVR). Of the four 99 Club members thus far, Donald has the largest gap between his rating and the number two player at the position (six points). Adams has a one-point lead on Kupp and Garrett has a three-point lead on T.J. Watt (offensive linemen ratings have not yet been revealed beyond Williams joining the 99 Club).

Stay tuned to Outsider Gaming the rest of the week for the complete 99 Club reveals.