After such a tumultuous year for all sports, gaming has been quite the outlet for so many players, members, and fans. Especially for the upcoming NFL season, EA’s Madden series has been an escape for many eager to see their favorite players back on the field. One such figure many have been expecting for a return is Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49’ers Quarterback. Announced in a tweet earlier today was EA’s full welcome back to Madden 21 and their reasoning for his addition despite his free-agent status.
As the face of the national anthem protests that began in the 2016 season, Kaepernick has faced mountainous backlash because of the movement. A wide variety of the league had followed by his example to protest the brutal injustices that exist for African Americans. Being at the forefront of the controversy, Kaepernick left the pro scene for quite some time until recently; there was interest from teams to have him rejoin the league. While some talks of a new team and lineup for him might be delayed further because of COVID, Kaepernick is still an important figure to acknowledge in a release as big as Madden 21.
Welcome Back, Kap! pic.twitter.com/fmq6SkMAVf
— Madden NFL 21 (@EAMaddenNFL) September 8, 2020
Now with more protests in 2020 in the wake of George Floyd, EA recognizes him as a powerful proponent of change, and that is reflected in this update. As a free agent or not, Kaepernick is a star player, and they rate him to be a top 15 Quarterback in Madden 21.
With a rating of overall 81, his rating remains the same as his inclusion in Madden 16. As described in the tweet, EA was working closely to bring Kaepernick back to the league in some form. Players can now use Colin Kaepernick in franchise mode and Play Now.
Madden 21 is now released on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles with releases for the next generation planned for later this year.
