The name Colin Kaepernick creates some complicated feelings in NFL players' minds, even outside of the political conversations that arose from his 2016 protests. Even four years later, NFL fans continue to argue whether the exiled Kaepernick would be better than different teams' starting quarterbacks. It seems like Electronic Arts' developers for Madden NFL 22 have come to a decision on the topic, rating Kaepernick above several of the upcoming NFL season's starters.
Madden NFL 22 launches today, and that means that players are getting a close look at all of the American football game's player ratings. One of the ratings that players noticed was Kaepernick's solid but not outstanding rating of 81, remarkable in that it's for a player who hasn't played in over four years. But the key issue with Kaepernick's rating wasn't necessarily how high it was in a vacuum, but rather that several NFL starting quarterbacks had ratings below 81.
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Breaking down the upcoming NFL season's expected starting quarterbacks, at least six were rated below 81. That includes Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger, who received a 78 rating, and the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert, who received an 80. Others on the list include Kirk Cousins with a 79, Trevor Lawrence with a 78, Joe Burrow with a 77, and Jared Goff with a 77.
Needless to say, Kaepernick is rated very well for someone who remains an unsigned free agent in the NFL. Electronic Arts doesn't share the process that ultimately decides what individual players are rated, but considering Kaepernick hasn't played in years it must be entirely unrelated to performance.
For comparison's sake, Kaepernick was also rated an 81 in last year's Madden NFL 21, putting him in the top 15 quarterbacks in the game. Kaepernick was absent the three years prior to that due to not being included in the NFL's licensing for players' names and likenesses. But prior to that, he was rated 89, 81, and 74 in Madden 15, Madden 16, and Madden 17, respectively. Electronic Arts isn't putting Kaepernick at his peak, but it's not at his worst, either.
It's unlikely that Colin Kaepernick is going to be recruited by an NFL team this season and his Madden NFL 22 rating isn't going to change that. At this point, Kaepernick's more of a celebrity inclusion, and his rating is a reward for that status. But that probably isn't going to sit well with Roethlisberger, Herbert, Cousins, Lawrence, or the rest of Madden NFL 22's 80 and under QB ratings.
Madden NFL 22 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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Source: CBS Sports
