Ja’Marr Chase has separated himself from the pack again.
The Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver was named to the Madden 27 99 Club on Monday, earning the honor for the second straight year and further cementing the reputation that has followed him since he entered the league: he’s viewed as the NFL’s premier wideout.
For a Bengals team heading into 2026 with Joe Burrow, Chase and Tee Higgins at the center of the offense, the recognition lands as another reminder of just how loaded Cincinnati’s top end looks. Burrow, Chase and Higgins were all key pieces of the run that helped send Cincy to the Super Bowl in 2021. And while veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence could still become part of that group after arriving from the New York Giants in Cincinnati’s blockbuster offseason trade, Chase remains the headliner.
The Madden nod also fits the production. Chase has already piled up 520 receptions, 6,837 yards and 54 touchdowns in his career, with his breakout coming fast and loud. It started with that 50-yard touchdown catch against the Vikings in Week 1 of 2021, the kind of play that announced he was ready to blow past expectations.
Last season, Chase became the first Bengals player ever to earn a 99 rating in Madden. He backed it up with 125 catches for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns, and now he’s back in the club again.
He’s one of only six players to make the Madden 27 99 Club this year. The full group also includes Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, reigning Rams NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, newly minted Rams superstar Myles Garrett, Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride. That group edged out names like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Chase’s former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson.
Chase’s place in the club also raises an obvious question: why was he the first Bengals player to get there? Joe Burrow came close last year with a 97 rating, but Cincinnati has had other players who could have made a stronger case over the years.
AJ Green is one of the names that stands out, along with Ochocinco, who now works as an official Madden ratings adjuster. Geno Atkins is another Bengal who may have deserved more recognition, with his highest Madden rating coming in Madden 20 at 94.
The past is the past, though. And if Josh Allen can get into the 99 Club, the case for Burrow is still sitting right there. Ochocinco, at least, should probably start making the pitch.
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The bigger issue is whether the money and the fit would line up well enough to justify it. Spotrac has the market in a range that would be hard to ignore, yet the Bengals are also working with limited cap room going forward, and a deal of that size would force them to answer a simple question: would this really make the offense better, or just make it more crowded? [Read more 🡒]
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Bengals Free Agent Sees Something Fans Have Been Desperate For
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Mafe has already noticed the early stages of the transition under defensive coordinator Al Golden, saying the group is working through the kind of learning curve that often comes with a new system. He even drew a parallel to what he experienced in Seattle under Mike Macdonald, a reminder that defensive change can take time before it starts to look natural. For a Bengals team that has invested heavily in the front seven and the back end, the real question is how quickly all that new talent can turn into something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]