This weekend, the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans may play a role in determining the No. 1 seed in the AFC. It also has the distinction of being the first-ever EA Sports Madden NFL Cast, an alternate broadcast that will stream exclusively on Peacock.
The traditional broadcast of the game will remain on NBC, but Peacock’s stream will incorporate elements from the Madden NFL video games. For example, Madden’s signature passing routes and player ratings will be overlaid on the live-action footage, and the game may incorporate animations from Madden NFL 25 as well. This altcast is being produced specifically with Madden gamers in mind, some of whom may not be traditional football fans.
“There are millions and millions of Madden fans, and I think we have to really serve them in this game and try to find that perfect blend between the video game and the real game and merge them together,” said NBC Sports executive producer Fred Gaudelli in a statement.
The EA Sports Madden NFL Cast will begin on Saturday, December 21 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on Peacock. Paul Burmeister will provide the play-by-play commentary for the altcast, with former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert placing the Madden graphic overlays to breakdown potential plays. Former wide receiver Chad Johnson will also contribute as he makes adjustments to players’ Madden ratings in real-time. Ultimate Madden Bowl champion player Henry Leverette will take part in the production as well.
Madden’s namesake, John Madden, was a former NFL coach-turned-broadcaster who announced games for all of the major broadcast networks, including NBC. The video game franchise that is synonymous with his name carries so much weight that a report this week suggested that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson vetoed a trade for Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy because he didn’t like Jeudy’s Madden player ratting.
EA recently updated Madden NFL 25 with Saquon Barkley’s unique no-look spin hurdle into the game, although it can only be performed under specific circumstances. Last month, Amazon’s Prime Video debuted It’s in the Game, a four-part documentary series about the history and development of the Madden NFL games. Additionally, Nicolas Cage will play John Madden in a new biopic from writer and director David O. Russell.