Player ratings for this year's "Madden NFL 21" video game from EA Sports were released last week, and the creators of football's most popular gaming franchise didn't give New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton a great rating.
Newton comes in at 78 (out of 99) overall, which is surprisingly low given his impressive dual-threat skill set when healthy.
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Here's a look at some of his best skill-specific ratings in "Madden NFL 21":
- Speed: 84
- Acceleration: 87
- Strength: 81
- Agility: 85
- Awareness: 81
- Toughness: 99
- Throwing Power: 91
- Play Action rating: 88
- Throw on the run rating: 87
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New England Patriots
EA Sports consistently updates rosters throughout the season, and that includes ratings adjustments for players who perform at a high level. So, it's very likely Newton will finish the season well above his initial 78 rating if he's able to stay healthy and start at quarterback for the Patriots.
Newton played in the first two games last season for the Carolina Panthers before injuries forced him to miss the remaining 14 matchups. The season before that in 2018 was a very good one for Newton. He completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,395 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also ran for 488 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns.
The Patriots, thanks to Tom Brady, have had one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in Madden games for most of the last two decades. Brady left New England to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March, and his 90 overall rating in "Madden NFL 21" is the fifth-highest among quarterbacks despite a somewhat disappointing 2019 season.
The Patriots will have a much lower-rated QB to start the 2020 campaign, whether it's Newton (78 overall) or Jarrett Stidham (61 rated) getting the call in Week 1.
"Madden NFL 21" has a release date of Aug. 25.