Caleb Williams already owns one of football’s biggest honors as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27. Now, the Chicago Bears quarterback has revealed an even bigger personal target ahead of the upcoming NFL season.
Instead of celebrating his current video game rating, Williams made it clear he is chasing the exclusive Madden 99 Club. The ambitious goal immediately sparked conversation among fans, teammates, and football analysts across the league.
His confidence reflects growing expectations after another impressive campaign and rising national profile. With training camp underway, every performance will now be measured against the bold standard Williams has publicly set for himself.
A cover star missing one rating
Caleb Williams landed the cover of Madden NFL 27 this summer, marking a huge milestone for the Chicago Bears franchise. Being named cover athlete usually signals a player has reached elite status in the eyes of Madden developers, but the honor came with a modest rating that left Williams plenty of room to climb higher.
Williams shrugged off the modest number with typical swagger rather than frustration, predicting his rating would reach 99 by the end of the season. He also became the first Bears player ever featured on a Madden cover since the series began back in 1988, a detail that adds extra weight to this milestone season and his career going forward.
Understanding the exclusive 99 Club
The 99 Club is Madden’s way of crowning the best players in football. Only a handful of athletes earn this top rating, and it changes almost every year. Fans and analysts constantly debate the snubs.
This top rating has been capped at 99 since Madden 2002 debuted. That cap makes the honor rare, since only elite performers from the prior season typically qualify each year now.
Reaching 99 overall means a player has no real weaknesses left to expose. It represents a ceiling that few quarterbacks or skill players ever reach, no matter how strong their season or record turns out each year.
Williams debuts at a solid 90
Williams enters Madden NFL 27 with a 90 overall rating, a strong number for a young quarterback. Still, it places him well below the six players who earned this year’s top score in the league.
A 90 rating still ranks among the better marks league-wide, reflecting his growth after a promising second season. Madden analysts clearly see him as a rising talent worth watching this coming year, too.
During the 2025 season, Williams completed 58.1% of his passes for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns. Those numbers helped push his rating higher than it was in his rookie year.
Little-known fact: Williams started painting his fingernails during his senior year of high school because his mother, Dayna Price, has been a nail technician for decades.
The rating that surprised fans
Many expected Williams to receive a higher rating given his cover status. NFL insider Ari Meirov first shared the news of his 90 overall grade, sparking instant reaction across social media platforms that same day.
Rather than sulking, Williams responded with total confidence. He predicted his rating would climb to 99 by the end of the season, showing the swagger that always defines his personality on and off the field.
Williams also revealed his cover pose was inspired by Michael Jordan’s famous Jumpman photo. The homage added extra meaning to a moment he called a dream come true, and he shared that story on a podcast recently.
His clear plan to reach 99
Williams has been direct about what he needs to improve. He told the Up and Adams Show that raising his completion percentage is the clearest path toward a perfect Madden rating next year for him.
He also wants to limit interceptions while adding a few more touchdown passes. Williams believes those small improvements will be enough to convince Madden developers he deserves the top spot before ratings get finalized again.
This confident approach fits his personality perfectly. Williams has never shied away from big goals, and chasing a 99 rating gives him one more target to chase throughout the upcoming season with his team again.
Little-known fact: Before winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy, Williams intentionally avoided talking about the award and focused on leading USC.
No Bears players made the cut
Chicago Bears fans have another motivation to watch this season closely. No player on the roster made the 99 Club this year, leaving the franchise without a single elite-rated star, according to developers now.
This snub adds fuel to an already heated NFC North rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. Micah Parsons recently praised Williams publicly, yet Madden ratings still clearly tell a very different story about the Bears.
Williams did not dwell on the rivalry chatter this offseason. He said he simply enjoyed his time off, worked out, and stayed focused on helping his team improve heading into the new season.
The Madden curse still looms
Madden cover athletes have a strange history of struggling the following season, a pattern fans call the Madden Curse. Williams will look to avoid that fate during his third season with the Bears franchise.
The curse is not guaranteed, and plenty of players have proven it wrong over the years. Still, the narrative adds extra pressure to a young quarterback already carrying high expectations this fall and beyond.
Williams seems unbothered by the superstition. His focus stays on stats and wins rather than folklore, and that mindset could be exactly what helps him finally break the curse for the Bears this coming season.
Why this chase matters for fans
Chasing a 99 rating gives fans an easy number to track throughout the season. Every strong performance moves the needle, turning weekly games into a real-time storyline worth following throughout the year.
It also raises the stakes for Chicago, a franchise starving for a signature quarterback moment. A 99 rating would symbolize that Williams has officially arrived among the league’s elite passers.
Whether or not he reaches 99 next year, Williams has already shown the confidence and drive that define future stars, and fans will be watching every throw closely as this story unfolds week after week.
TL;DR
- Caleb Williams is the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27, but he debuted with a 90 overall rating.
- 6 players made this year’s 99 Club, including Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, and Ja’Marr Chase.
- The 99 rating has been the max cap in Madden since 2002.
- Williams says raising his completion percentage is the key to reaching 99 next year. No Chicago Bears player made the 99 Club this season.
If you liked this, don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
If you liked this, you might also like:
