Madden NFL 2011 shipped in summer 2010 for the 2010 NFL season. Launch ratings are set before the season is played, so they reflect the previous year’s performance - a player’s breakout shows up in the next year’s game.
Madden NFL 11 launched August 10, 2010 with Drew Brees on the cover, fresh off New Orleans' Super Bowl win. The launch 99s ran deep: Chris Johnson, Darrelle Revis, Brees, Jared Allen, Patrick Willis, and Peyton Manning.
Green Bay won Super Bowl XLV, 31-25 over Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers named game MVP. Tom Brady won regular-season MVP and Offensive Player of the Year unanimously, throwing 36 touchdowns to four interceptions. Troy Polamalu took Defensive Player of the Year, and Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh won the rookie awards.
Brady's near-flawless season validated his rating. The miss was Chris Johnson, a 99 the year after his 2,006-yard season who fell to 1,364 yards as defenses keyed on him.