Ian Gold Madden Career 2002-2008 - Peak 91 OVR
Michigan speed turned loose at weakside for Denver
Speed was the whole scouting report. Out of Michigan, where he played on the 1997 national championship team, Gold went to Denver in the second round of the 2000 draft and became a weakside linebacker who could run with backs and tight ends sideline to sideline. His best statistical work came in 2002, when he piled up 85 tackles and 6.5 sacks, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod along the way.
The 2003 opener showed both the ceiling and the fragility: ten tackles and an interception returned for a touchdown against Cincinnati, then an ACL tear six games later. He spent a year in Tampa Bay in 2004 before returning to the Broncos, finishing with 422 tackles over 115 games.
His Madden number matched the athleticism, topping out at 91 in both the 2006 and 2007 editions after years in the mid-80s. He was a fast, undersized linebacker the position was drifting toward, a good decade before the league fully committed to that build.
Ian Gold Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 91 OVR in Madden NFL 2007 (age 28)
- Appeared in 7 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2002 through Madden NFL 2008)
- Entered at 65 OVR in Madden NFL 2002, climbed 26 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 18 points into Madden NFL 2004
- Played for 2 franchises: Broncos, Buccaneers
- Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2008 at 91 OVR
Ian Gold Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | CAR | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | PBK | IBL | TAK | POW | PUR | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2002 2001 NFL season
|
|
LB | 65 | 72 | 70 | 71 | 65 | 62 | 81 | 87 | 79 | 60 | - | 11 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | - | - | - | - | - | 46 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 29 | 27 | - | 73 | - | - | - | - | - | 30 | 31 | - |
|
2003 2002 NFL season
|
|
RLB | 67 | 74 | 80 | 72 | 69 | 62 | 70 | 87 | 79 | - | - | 16 | - | - | - | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | 53 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 31 | - | 77 | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 35 | - |
|
2004 2003 NFL season
|
|
RLB | 85 | 84 | 82 | 79 | 74 | 62 | 70 | 87 | 79 | 74 | - | 16 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | 58 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 31 | - | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 35 | 0 |
|
2005 2004 NFL season
|
|
LLB | 87 | 87 | 90 | 80 | 72 | 62 | 70 | 87 | 79 | 77 | - | 16 | - | - | - | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | 58 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 45 | 31 | - | 84 | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 35 | - |
|
2006 2005 NFL season
|
|
RLB | 87 | 87 | 90 | 80 | 72 | 62 | 70 | 87 | - | 77 | - | 16 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 32 | - | - | - | - | - | 58 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 45 | 31 | - | 84 | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 35 | 0 |
|
2007 2006 NFL season
|
|
RLB | 91 | 88 | 92 | 87 | 69 | 70 | 85 | 88 | 79 | 82 | 82 | 16 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 32 | 50 | 33 | 35 | 55 | 65 | 60 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 45 | 31 | 60 | 85 | - | 92 | 78 | 84 | - | 34 | 35 | 0 |
|
2008 2007 NFL season
|
|
RLB | 91 | 87 | 91 | 86 | 68 | 70 | 85 | 88 | - | 85 | 88 | 16 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 32 | 10 | 33 | 35 | 55 | 65 | 60 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 45 | 31 | 60 | 88 | 70 | 93 | 78 | 84 | 78 | 34 | 35 | 0 |
Ian Gold Madden Ratings by Year
Ian Gold Madden NFL 2002 rating: 65 OVR (2001 NFL season, DEN). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2003 rating: 67 OVR (2002 NFL season, DEN). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2004 rating: 85 OVR (2003 NFL season, DEN). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2005 rating: 87 OVR (2004 NFL season, TB). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2006 rating: 87 OVR (2005 NFL season, DEN). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2007 rating: 91 OVR (2006 NFL season, DEN). Ian Gold Madden NFL 2008 rating: 91 OVR (2007 NFL season, DEN).