Madden Bowl XXI: NFL Stars Get Their Madden Game On

From the Xbox Game Before the Game, in which New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen beat Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman 14-0 in Madden NFL 15, to the EA Sports Madden Bowl tournament, where Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson took home the trophy and a custom Xbox One console by defeating reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles LeSean McCoy 17-0; video games are part of the Super Bowl experience. Beyond the exclusive licenses that Microsoft and Electronic Arts pay to the NFL, there’s a genuine love of video gaming that dates all the way back to early football games on the Atari 2600 and ColecoVision consoles.

Gaming has become as much a ritual, and part of growing up, for today’s athletes as Peewee Football. Even some retired players go back and relive glory days through video games, which can now replicate the broadcast perspective in high definition much better than actual TV networks could when they were playing. At the EA Sports Madden Bowl XXI and at other Super Bowl events, we hit the sticks with some NFL greats. Check out the gallery below for interviews with 12 NFL stars and some photos from Madden Bowl XXI that include Kevin Hart, Nelly, Florida-Georgia Line, Lil’ Jon, and more.

Madden Bowl

Seattle Seahawks Cornerback Richard Sherman

What’s your favorite Madden memory that you can share?
Beating my brother is always fun. He doesn’t play anymore, so beating cousins. I don’t have any specific memory I can talk about. I’ve played it so much that it all kind of just blends together.
Is there anything you would like to see EA Sports add to the next Madden game?
Yeah, no letting Richard Sherman drop picks, that’s number 1. Number 2 is bringing back the one-on-one receiver versus DB drill, but also improve the Superstar mode. I think that they’re a little lazy on that part of the game. They hype it up like its going to be some crazy deal, but if you can really get into it, it can be a really fun deal. You know, put the contracts in there and the negotiations. And actually let them play different positions because you can’t play corner with the camera on the quarterback and you can’t play linebacker. So I think they dropped the ball on that one.
(Photo credit TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Carolina Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton

What’s a favorite Madden video game memory from when you were younger?
Favorite Madden video game memory will have to be trying to get the game. It sounds weird, but I remember I would sneak out of the house and stand in line to be the first one to have it to get a head start of increasing my talents to be good in the game.
How does Madden compare to the real NFL when it comes to pressue?
People don’t understand how much actual pressure it is playing Madden, especially when you’re playing in a crowd or when your opportunity to play is up for grabs,” Newton said. “If you’re playing in a setting of about six or seven guys and if you lose, you can’t play no more until everyone else is done playing. That puts a lot of pressure on, so in the fourth quarter when you’re down by three points and it’s 4^th and 2 on your own 40 yard line, what do you do? Do you risk giving the ball up or turning the ball over, or do you play with that chip on your shoulder and say, “I’m going to go for it and no matter what the outcome is and I’ll just deal with the circumstances.
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
New York Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz

What’s a favorite Madden video game memory you can share with us?
A lot of them aren’t positive because the ones I remember are ones of me getting really frustrated with my controller and slamming it down a couple of times. So they’re not pretty positive, but there are some good ones when I’m winning 21 to nothing with my friends and I’m up by a huge score and things like that. So there’s pros and cons to it.
What would you like to see in Madden NFL 16?
Let’s see just a better salsa. Man, I think they got to get me in there and put those balls on me and get a better salsa dance about my character. I mean that’s the only thing. They got everything else down pat.
(Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)
Houston Texans Running Back Arian Foster

Do you have any favorite Madden memories you can share from playing growing up?
Oh, yeah, we grew up on Madden, man. We couldn’t wait for it to come out and we all scrounged up enough change to put it together as kids. And we used to sit up and play it all the time, man. I remember playing it on Sega and Nintendo 64 and PlayStation where the graphics were nowhere close to what they are now. Now you can see the wrinkles in the guy’s clothes. You can see the reflection on their helmets, sweat dripping. It just gets crazy the amount of animation of animation that goes into these games. It’s going to be cool to one day tell you kids you were actually in a video game. That’s pretty awesome.
Can you give us a sense being in the NFL of how popular Madden or video games are today?
I didn’t get how big it was really until I saw everybody – all the gamers -- out here actually playing. That means they have to be recognized among the online community, and that’s just wild to me because growing up we didn’t have online gaming. We got that in high school and college, but by that time I was already playing football big time so I wasn’t into gaming. But that changes the dynamics of it.
Detroit Lions Running Back Calvin Johnson

What’s your favorite Madden video game memory?

My favorite Madden memory would probably be taking another kick-off return to house, because I’ve only done that one time in the game. It’s very hard to do. That’s the one with Palmetto was on the cover; I think it was probably 2010.

How often do you play video games, and what’s your schedule like during the off-season versus during the season?

During the off-season I have a lot of free time on my hands, whether it be training, spending time with your family, travel, or whatever it may be. During the season, it’s pretty tough. You don’t really have as much time to play the games, because you’re tired and you’ve got to work.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys Running Back DeMarco Murray

Do you have a favorite Madden memory that you can share with us?
Not really, I mean I love the game. During the season I don’t really have a lot of time to play it, so the off season is when I get to relax a little bit when I’m not traveling, and I get to play it.
What would you like EA Sports to add to Madden NFL 16?
I don’t know. I think every year it gets better, so I don’t really have one particular thing that I can pinpoint and say, “Hey, this needs to be better.”
( Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
Kansas City Chiefs Running Back Jamaal Charles

Do you have a favorite Madden video game memory you can share?
I play everything: Madden, Call of Duty, NBA 2K. I love video games and off season that’s what I do. I got a chance last year to play Call of Duty against Clay Mathews with a group of game developers and we won.
Is there anything you would like to see EA Sports add to the next Madden game?
I’d say I’d like to see a touchdown dance like touchdown dance that everybody do specifically like everybody got their own touchdown dance. I’d like to see a touchdown dance.
New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Kenny Stills

What’s a favorite Madden video game memory you can share with us?
Just creating myself in the game. As a little kid I always created myself in the game and I never really believed that I was going to be where I’m at, so it’s just really cool to look back on those moments and really think that I’m doing what I created. I got to continue to play well and match the stats that I gave myself when I was a young kid.
What would you like EA Sports to add to Madden NFL 16?
My hair. (Laughs.) No, I don’t know. The game’s awesome. They did a great job with the game. There’s a few bugs where the way guys move just needs to be a little bit more smooth.
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers Defensive End Khyri Thornton

What’s a favorite Madden memory?
Some of my favorite memories playing the game are beating my brother. He always beat me with the Falcons, and the first time I actually beat him was with Philadelphia when they had Brian Westbrook. That was my most favorite memory, and the other was when I bought Madden 2001. That was the first game I bought myself, so I was kind of proud of that.
What about would you give somebody who’s playing as your team in Madden?
Play with me because you’ll win. Because I play and I’m a good struggle force in the game. I feel like I bring different attributes to the game, speed, -- power, and hopefully that’s how I’m portrayed on the game, but like I said if not this year, next year for sure I will be.
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles

Do you have a favorite Madden video game memory from growing up?
Madden has always been a big one for me. But I think it starts with Mario, which I played forever. And then you hit Mario Kart and then you grow up and you go to NCAA Football and NFL Blitz. That was a big one. Then there’s Call of Duty, Halo, Tiger Woods Golf. Those are the games I enjoyed playing. I’d throw Star Fox in there. It’s crazy to be a part of the video game industry now.
Do you have an advantage playing Madden since you’re a quarterback in real life?
I have a little bit, but then it just comes down to executing and sometimes in video games you have those crazy picks where the dude, there’s no way they could even get any jumps like 50 feet in the air. So that frustrates me from time to time.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Ryan Tannehill

Do you have any Madden memories you can share with us?
I played a lot of games growing up. Being a football player I was always playing football games like Madden and NCAA Football whenever the new one came out. I’d also play some shooting games like Call of Duty and games like that.
What are your thoughts on how far Madden has come over the years?
You go back and look at the game 10 years ago, or even five years ago, and look at the game now; the graphics have progressed 100 times better. You see the reality of the game is so much more real. The ability in the new game for quarterbacks to make throws over linebackers and the ability to anticipate throws is huge for me because that was always the frustration for me. Being a quarterback I always wanted to anticipate throws. If I have a 10 yard out, I want to take my three steps and then throw it out there. Well, you couldn’t anticipate in the old games because it changes, so being able to anticipate that throw over a linebacker with some touch. It adds a whole ‘nother element to the game.
(Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater

What’s some of your favorite memories playing games?
Some of my favorite memories playing Madden is just playing against my brothers and cousins, competing against those guys. It’s amazing how a video game can unite a group of kids or young men, or teenagers. I just cherish those memories.
What would you like EA Sports to add to Madden NFL 16?
I would like to EA to allow you to bring back the college recruiting classes, but I know they don’t make the college game anymore. But I’d love to see the incoming college class in the Madden NFL 16.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Von Miller is seen at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Kevin Hart is seen at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Patrick Peterson celebrates winning EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Nelly performs at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Nelly performs at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Lil Jon spins at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley preforms at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Brian Kelley, left, and Tyler Hubbard from Florida Georgia Line perform at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Florida Georgia Line's Brian Kelley preforms at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Kevin Hart smiles while shaking hands with Colin Kaepernick seen at EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Kevin Hart hosted the EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 event.
EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015

Patrick Peterson celebrates winning EA SPORTS Madden Bowl 2015 Thursday, Jan., 29, 2015, in Phoenix. (Photo by Donald Traill/Invision for EA SPORTS/AP Images)