Willie McGinest Madden Career 1995-2009 - Peak 93 OVR
Three Patriots rings and the NFL's playoff sack record
In the January 2004 playoffs, Willie McGinest stuffed Edgerrin James on fourth-and-goal to preserve a win over the Colts, a single tackle that captured his whole game: big, patient, and largest in the biggest moments. New England drafted him fourth overall out of USC in 1994, and for 12 seasons he shifted between defensive end and linebacker as the situation demanded.
The hardware piled up. McGinest won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, in XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX, made two Pro Bowls, and finished with 86 career sacks. His signature belongs to January football: he holds the NFL record for playoff sacks with 16, including 4.5 in a single 2005 wild-card game against Jacksonville. He closed his career with three seasons in Cleveland.
He was already a 91 in the 1996 edition, an established force before the dynasty even began. His Madden number peaked at a 93 across the 2005 and 2006 editions, honoring a veteran who kept making plays that decided playoff games.
Willie McGinest Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 93 OVR in Madden NFL 2006 (age 33)
- Appeared in 12 Madden releases (Madden NFL 1995 through Madden NFL 2009)
- Entered at 90 OVR in Madden NFL 1995, climbed 3 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 12 points into Madden NFL 1997
- Played for 2 franchises: Patriots, Browns
- Listed as a linebacker in every Madden release
- Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2009 at 85 OVR
Willie McGinest Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | CAR | BTK | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | PBK | IBL | TAK | POW | PUR | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1995 * 1994 NFL season
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LOLB | 90* | 74 | - | 90 | - | - | - | - | - | 82 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 90 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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1996 * 1995 NFL season
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LOLB | 79* | 79 | - | 73 | - | - | - | - | - | 66 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 79 | - | 73 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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1997 1996 NFL season
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RDE | 91 | 59 | 44 | 68 | - | 38 | 55 | - | - | 95 | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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1998 * 1997 NFL season
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RDE | 82* | 73 | - | 66 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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1999 1998 NFL season
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RDE | 89* | 74 | 69 | 67 | 82 | - | - | 9 | - | 87 | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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2000 1999 NFL season
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RDE | 85* | 64 | 62 | 69 | 85 | - | - | 69 | - | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | 29 | 29 | - | - | - | - | - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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2003 2002 NFL season
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LDE | 83 | 67 | 71 | 69 | 80 | 60 | 65 | 67 | 92 | - | - | 19 | - | - | - | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 35 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 28 | 30 | - | 82 | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 19 | - |
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2005 2004 NFL season
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LOLB | 90 | 77 | 80 | 78 | 75 | 63 | 65 | 67 | 92 | 92 | - | 19 | - | - | - | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 50 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 44 | 30 | - | 90 | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 19 | - |
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2006 2005 NFL season
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LOLB | 93 | 77 | 84 | 78 | 75 | 63 | 65 | 67 | - | 96 | - | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 27 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 50 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 44 | 30 | - | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 19 | 0 |
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2007 2006 NFL season
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LOLB | 93 | 79 | 87 | 75 | 77 | 63 | 65 | 67 | 92 | 97 | 91 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 27 | - | 55 | 15 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 45 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 44 | 30 | 44 | 90 | - | 87 | 45 | 55 | - | 16 | 19 | 0 |
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2008 2007 NFL season
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LOLB | 85 | 78 | 83 | 74 | 76 | 63 | 65 | 67 | - | 91 | 86 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 27 | - | 40 | 15 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 44 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 44 | 30 | 44 | 88 | 75 | 88 | 55 | 70 | 70 | 16 | 19 | 0 |
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2009 2008 NFL season
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LOLB | 85 | 78 | 83 | 74 | 76 | 63 | 80 | 65 | 92 | 91 | 86 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 65 | - | 40 | 15 | 45 | 10 | 35 | 44 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 44 | 30 | 44 | 88 | 75 | 88 | 55 | 70 | 70 | 16 | 19 | 10 |
Era Linebackers who played alongside Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest Madden Ratings by Year
Willie McGinest Madden NFL 1995 rating: 90 OVR (1994 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 1996 rating: 79 OVR (1995 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 1997 rating: 91 OVR (1996 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 1998 rating: 82 OVR (1997 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 1999 rating: 89 OVR (1998 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2000 rating: 85 OVR (1999 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2003 rating: 83 OVR (2002 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2005 rating: 90 OVR (2004 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2006 rating: 93 OVR (2005 NFL season, NE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2007 rating: 93 OVR (2006 NFL season, CLE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2008 rating: 85 OVR (2007 NFL season, CLE). Willie McGinest Madden NFL 2009 rating: 85 OVR (2008 NFL season, CLE).