Uh-oh
Maddenis wading into dangerous territory. For the first time inMadden‘s history, an equipment update will give players a stat boost.
EA Sports released the patch notes forMadden 20‘s January update, and it includes the addition of the Nike Vapor Edge cleat. AsThe Vergenotes, only athletes who are signed to Nike (Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, andChristian McCaffrey to name a few) will have access to this shoe. It’s not just for looks, though. EA has confirmed that wearing the shoe will actually make these players faster:
Your favorite player just got faster‼ï¸@usnikefootball‘s new Vapor Edge Elite 360 cleats are giving players a boost in#Madden20pic.twitter.com/CIhdIU9Fft
— Madden NFL 20 (@EAMaddenNFL)July 16, 2025
Equipping the Nike Vapor Edges will grant a +1 bonus to speed or acceleration. It’s not much, sure, but we’re teetering perilously close to setting an awful precedent. EA can start a bidding war, asking apparel companies to pay so that their products and athletes are represented as more capable. Right now, Nike athletes are just a tiny bit quicker than their official ratings, all because they’re wearing the right shoe.
