Game Notes
- Release date: July 31, 1997 (Based on on the 1997 NFL season.)
- Cover athlete: John Madden (Genesis, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Super NES, Windows PC)
- The Tennessee Oilers, who had just moved from Houston, are known as the Memphis Oilers in this game. They were called the Tennessee Oilers in real life. Also, the game places them alphabetically on team lists where the Houston Oilers would have been.
- The game features several historical teams and an 100 OVR All-Madden team.
Player Notes
- 99 Overall Club: QB Dan Marino (Dolphins), QB Brett Favre (Packers), RB Emmitt Smith (Cowboys), RB Barry Sanders (Lions), WR Jerry Rice (49ers), CB Deion Sanders (Cowboys), K Clay Blanchard (Colts), K Morten Andersen (Falcons), K John Kasay (Panthers), P Darren Bennett (Chargers), P Chris Gardocki (Colts), P Matt Turk (Redskins)
AFC Central Rosters
Pittsburgh Steelers
82 OVR |
Jacksonville Jaguars
80 OVR |
Memphis Oilers
80 OVR |
Cincinnati Bengals
79 OVR |
Baltimore Ravens
71 OVR |
AFC East Rosters
New England Patriots
90 OVR |
Buffalo Bills
87 OVR |
Miami Dolphins
82 OVR |
Indianapolis Colts
79 OVR |
New York Jets
75 OVR |
AFC West Rosters
Oakland Raiders
90 OVR |
Denver Broncos
89 OVR |
Seattle Seahawks
88 OVR |
Kansas City Chiefs
86 OVR |
San Diego Chargers
82 OVR |
NFC Central Rosters
Green Bay Packers
95 OVR |
Minnesota Vikings
83 OVR |
Detroit Lions
79 OVR |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
77 OVR |
Chicago Bears
74 OVR |
NFC East Rosters
Philadelphia Eagles
90 OVR |
Dallas Cowboys
87 OVR |
Washington Redskins
83 OVR |
Arizona Cardinals
80 OVR |
New York Giants
72 OVR |
NFC West Rosters
San Francisco 49ers
90 OVR |
Carolina Panthers
90 OVR |
St. Louis Rams
81 OVR |
Atlanta Falcons
77 OVR |
New Orleans Saints
74 OVR |
World League of American Football Rosters
Amsterdam Admirals
|
Barcelona Dragons
|
Rhein Fire
|
Frankfurt Galaxy
|
London Monarchs
|
Scottish Claymores
|
Files
| Madden NFL 98 - Instruction Booklet |
Info Photos
Team Uniforms
Madden NFL 98 Ratings & History
Madden NFL 98 is one of the most historically interesting early releases in the Madden franchise. Released in 1997 with John Madden on the cover, the game captures the NFL during a period when legends such as Brett Favre, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders were dominating the league.
Madden NFL 98 also represents an important point in the franchise's history as the series transitioned toward the PlayStation and its 3D engine. The game includes historical teams and an unusual 100 Overall All-Madden team, making it a unique entry in Madden history.
Madden NFL 98's Highest-Rated Players
The ratings database contains several players at the maximum 99 overall rating.
Among the most notable 99-rated players are:
Brett Favre and Dan Marino
The quarterback ratings provide an excellent snapshot of the era.
Dan Marino — 99 OVR
Brett Favre — 99 OVR
Steve Young — 95 OVR
John Elway — 92 OVR
Troy Aikman — 92 OVR
Drew Bledsoe — 92 OVR
Both Marino and Favre received 99 Throw Power and 99 Throw Accuracy.
That makes Madden NFL 98 particularly interesting for quarterback historians. Favre was entering his prime with Green Bay, while Marino, Elway, Young and Aikman represented an older generation of established quarterback stars.
Barry Sanders vs. Emmitt Smith
The running-back ratings are another highlight.
Emmitt Smith — 99 OVR
Barry Sanders — 99 OVR
Both players also received 99 Break Tackle and 99 Catching.
Sanders had 99 Agility, while Smith had 92 Speed.
The timing makes these ratings especially significant. Sanders was coming off a historic 1997 season in which he rushed for 2,053 yards, becoming only the third player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards at the time. He and Favre shared the NFL MVP award.
Jerry Rice at 99
Jerry Rice was also rated 99 overall, with 99 Agility and 99 Catching.
He was followed among the top receivers by Carl Pickens, Herman Moore and Cris Carter, all rated 92 overall.
Rice's combination of elite overall and individual ratings shows how highly Madden regarded one of the greatest receivers in NFL history.
Deion Sanders: 99 Speed and 99 Tackle
Deion Sanders is one of the most unusual ratings on the page.
He was rated:
99 OVR
99 Speed
92 Agility
99 Tackle
His 99 Speed is particularly notable for a defensive player, while the 99 Tackle rating makes his overall profile even more unusual.
Aeneas Williams also received 99 Speed despite being rated 92 overall.
Defensive Legends
The defensive ratings feature several recognizable names from the era.
Reggie White and Bruce Smith were both rated 92 overall and each received 99 Tackle.
Hardy Nickerson led the linebackers at 95 overall with 99 Awareness, while Sam Mills was rated 92 overall with 99 Awareness.
This gives Madden NFL 98 an impressive collection of defensive legends even outside the 99 Overall players.
Special Teams Were Different
One of the strangest things about Madden NFL 98 is how highly the game rated kickers and punters.
Cary Blanchard — 99 OVR
Morten Andersen — 99 OVR
John Kasay — 99 OVR
Darren Bennett — 99 OVR
Chris Gardocki — 99 OVR
Matt Turk — 99 OVR
Each of those players also received 99 Kick Power and 99 Kick Accuracy.
That makes the special-teams ratings one of the most unusual aspects of Madden NFL 98.
Madden NFL 98 Team Ratings
Your MaddenRatings.net page also preserves the team ratings from the game.
The Green Bay Packers lead the NFC Central at 95 overall, while New England leads the AFC East at 90.
Oakland is rated 90, Denver 89, Philadelphia 90, Dallas 87, San Francisco 90 and Carolina 90.
The Tennessee Oilers are particularly interesting because Madden NFL 98 identifies them as the Memphis Oilers, despite the real-life team being known as the Tennessee Oilers at the time.
Madden Ratings Historical Analysis
Madden NFL 98 captures an incredible collection of NFL talent at one point in time.
Favre and Marino were both 99 overall quarterbacks. Sanders and Smith were both 99 overall running backs. Rice was a 99 overall receiver, while Deion Sanders was a 99 overall cornerback.
The individual ratings make the game even more interesting.
Favre and Marino had 99 Throw Power and 99 Throw Accuracy. Barry Sanders had 99 Agility and 99 Break Tackle. Jerry Rice had 99 Catching. Deion Sanders had 99 Speed. Reggie White and Bruce Smith had 99 Tackle.
These numbers show why historical Madden ratings are more than simple overall rankings. They provide a snapshot of how the game viewed the strengths of the NFL's biggest stars during the late 1990s.
Madden NFL 98 is one of the most historically interesting early releases in the Madden franchise. Released in 1997 with John Madden on the cover, the game captures the NFL during a period when legends such as Brett Favre, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders were dominating the league.
Madden NFL 98 also represents an important point in the franchise's history as the series transitioned toward the PlayStation and its 3D engine. The game includes historical teams and an unusual 100 Overall All-Madden team, making it a unique entry in Madden history.
Madden NFL 98's Highest-Rated Players
The ratings database contains several players at the maximum 99 overall rating.
Among the most notable 99-rated players are:
- Dan Marino — 99 OVR
- Brett Favre — 99 OVR
- Emmitt Smith — 99 OVR
- Barry Sanders — 99 OVR
- Jerry Rice — 99 OVR
- Deion Sanders — 99 OVR
Brett Favre and Dan Marino
The quarterback ratings provide an excellent snapshot of the era.
Dan Marino — 99 OVR
Brett Favre — 99 OVR
Steve Young — 95 OVR
John Elway — 92 OVR
Troy Aikman — 92 OVR
Drew Bledsoe — 92 OVR
Both Marino and Favre received 99 Throw Power and 99 Throw Accuracy.
That makes Madden NFL 98 particularly interesting for quarterback historians. Favre was entering his prime with Green Bay, while Marino, Elway, Young and Aikman represented an older generation of established quarterback stars.
Barry Sanders vs. Emmitt Smith
The running-back ratings are another highlight.
Emmitt Smith — 99 OVR
Barry Sanders — 99 OVR
Both players also received 99 Break Tackle and 99 Catching.
Sanders had 99 Agility, while Smith had 92 Speed.
The timing makes these ratings especially significant. Sanders was coming off a historic 1997 season in which he rushed for 2,053 yards, becoming only the third player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards at the time. He and Favre shared the NFL MVP award.
Jerry Rice at 99
Jerry Rice was also rated 99 overall, with 99 Agility and 99 Catching.
He was followed among the top receivers by Carl Pickens, Herman Moore and Cris Carter, all rated 92 overall.
Rice's combination of elite overall and individual ratings shows how highly Madden regarded one of the greatest receivers in NFL history.
Deion Sanders: 99 Speed and 99 Tackle
Deion Sanders is one of the most unusual ratings on the page.
He was rated:
99 OVR
99 Speed
92 Agility
99 Tackle
His 99 Speed is particularly notable for a defensive player, while the 99 Tackle rating makes his overall profile even more unusual.
Aeneas Williams also received 99 Speed despite being rated 92 overall.
Defensive Legends
The defensive ratings feature several recognizable names from the era.
Reggie White and Bruce Smith were both rated 92 overall and each received 99 Tackle.
Hardy Nickerson led the linebackers at 95 overall with 99 Awareness, while Sam Mills was rated 92 overall with 99 Awareness.
This gives Madden NFL 98 an impressive collection of defensive legends even outside the 99 Overall players.
Special Teams Were Different
One of the strangest things about Madden NFL 98 is how highly the game rated kickers and punters.
Cary Blanchard — 99 OVR
Morten Andersen — 99 OVR
John Kasay — 99 OVR
Darren Bennett — 99 OVR
Chris Gardocki — 99 OVR
Matt Turk — 99 OVR
Each of those players also received 99 Kick Power and 99 Kick Accuracy.
That makes the special-teams ratings one of the most unusual aspects of Madden NFL 98.
Madden NFL 98 Team Ratings
Your MaddenRatings.net page also preserves the team ratings from the game.
The Green Bay Packers lead the NFC Central at 95 overall, while New England leads the AFC East at 90.
Oakland is rated 90, Denver 89, Philadelphia 90, Dallas 87, San Francisco 90 and Carolina 90.
The Tennessee Oilers are particularly interesting because Madden NFL 98 identifies them as the Memphis Oilers, despite the real-life team being known as the Tennessee Oilers at the time.
Madden Ratings Historical Analysis
Madden NFL 98 captures an incredible collection of NFL talent at one point in time.
Favre and Marino were both 99 overall quarterbacks. Sanders and Smith were both 99 overall running backs. Rice was a 99 overall receiver, while Deion Sanders was a 99 overall cornerback.
The individual ratings make the game even more interesting.
Favre and Marino had 99 Throw Power and 99 Throw Accuracy. Barry Sanders had 99 Agility and 99 Break Tackle. Jerry Rice had 99 Catching. Deion Sanders had 99 Speed. Reggie White and Bruce Smith had 99 Tackle.
These numbers show why historical Madden ratings are more than simple overall rankings. They provide a snapshot of how the game viewed the strengths of the NFL's biggest stars during the late 1990s.
