Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase drops 1-word message after being inducted into Madden 26's 99 Club

Fanatics Super Bowl Party - Source: Getty
Fanatics Super Bowl Party - Source: Getty

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase has entered the coveted Madden 99 club. The club consists of NFL players with an overall rating of 99 in the game. Chase became the only Bengal to represent the club in Madden 26.

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He responded to the news with just five letters on his Instagram story. He posted a graphic of the news on Monday and wrote in the caption:

“APTTMH.”
Ja'Marr Chase's IG Story
Ja'Marr Chase's IG Story

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The acronym, All Praise to the Most High, reveals the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver's faith in God.

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Ja'Marr Chase’s ascension to the Madden 99 Club was anything but easy. After sitting out most of last year’s training camp while negotiating a contract extension, the All-Pro wideout enters the 2025 season with high expectations.

Chase seized the coveted receiving "triple crown" last year, which no player had accomplished in over ten years, with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdown receptions.


Ja'Marr Chase learns about the rating during an emotional team moment

It wasn’t an EA press release that broke the news to Ja’Marr Chase. It was Bengals legend and Madden ratings adjuster, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. He surprised the star with a personalized video message at the team headquarters.

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"Yo, Uno! What's up, boy? Listen, remember I said you weren't a 99 and I said I'd bump you up after your first touchdown? Listen, about that, I had to play it cool, baby," Johnson said in the video message. "You know I can't let you get too comfortable out the gate. But the people upstairs at Madden, I went up there and talked to them."
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Johnson continued his explanation, "They've been watching you, I've been watching, you hear me? We saw what you did last year. ... We all know what you can do. So I'm here to tell you, you're already there. You've arrived. The 99 Club, right now. My boy, welcome to greatness."

The reveal ended with teammate Tee Higgins draping a custom ‘99’ chain around Chase’s neck.

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Ja'Marr Chase didn’t waste any time sharing the news with quarterback, Joe Burrow.

"Hey, No. 9! Hey! Hey! Hey! Come here. ... Uh 99 overall. I beat you, so ..." Chase told his quarterback in the locker room.
"Nice," Burrow responded. "Cool, man."

Ja’Marr Chase now joins a select group of NFL stars rated at the top of the game, including Lamar Jackson, Justin Jefferson, Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley.

Bengals Nation! Check out the latest Cincinnati Bengals Schedule and dive into the Bengals Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder
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