Every athlete in the NFL is at the top of their game; you need to be not only physically gifted but also an incredibly hard worker to beat others out for a roster spot. However, there are some players that can make even their most elite competition look silly.

Madden does its best to acknowledge these gamechangers each year with it’s X-Factor system, andMadden 25is no exception. These players have special perks not accessible to the rest of the NFL, allowing them to pull off feats of incredible skill that mirror how exceptional they are in real life.

Christian McCaffrey running the ball outside in Madden 25.

Superstar X-Factors, Explained

In every entry sinceMadden 20, the developers at EA havesingled out the 50 best players in the league and given them X-Factor status. This means they’reable to use powerful abilitiescapable of flipping a game on its head at a moment’s notice.

For the sake of balance,these abilities are not available as soon as the player steps onto the field, and insteadmust be earned by completing a small objective first. After activating,they will enter the zoneand their full power will be unleashed, butpoor play will see them lose their power-upjust as quickly.

Christian McCaffrey’s X-Factor description in Madden 25.

You can see the requirements to activate a player’s X-Factor ability byholding the Right Trigger at the line of scrimmage.

Offensive X-Factors

There are25 X-Factors on the offensive side of the ball. These players will help you move down the field with ease, scoring a bunch of touchdowns on the way.

High success rate on trucks and stiff arms.

Myles Garrett’s X-Factor description in Madden 25.

High fakeout rate on the next juke, spin, or hurdle.

Make two 20+ yard catches.

Defensive X-Factors

It’s not as flashy as the offense, but at the end of the day, defense wins championships.There are 25 defensive X-Factor players, helping you stuff the run and wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

Higher chance to defeat run blocks and disrupt catches.

Force two incompletions or make two tackles for a loss.

Tighter coverage and more interceptions on contested catches.

Higher chance to defeat pass blocks and disrupt catches.

Force two incompletions or make two sacks.

Get a sack or make a tackle for a loss.