EA Sports’ College Football 26 is finally out, and the buzz around the game hasn’t slowed down. From revamped gameplay to the long-awaited return of coaching features, it was meant to be a celebration for die-hard college football fans. But instead, it’s a pair of missing names that have stolen the spotlight, and rightly so. Deion Sanders and Bill Belichick, two of the most talked-about coaches in football, are nowhere to be found on the sidelines.
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Yes, College Football 26 lets players take control of head coaches for the first time. Big names like Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney, Ryan Day, Lane Kiffin, and Steve Sarkisian have all signed on, complete with their own coaching ratings and archetypes.
Many of these coaches have even earned top-tier grades. Smart and Swinney, for instance, were awarded the elite “CEO” archetype and an A+ rating.
But neither Deion Sanders nor Bill Belichick made the cut. By their own choice, of course. Instead, fictional replacements fill their shoes. The Colorado Buffaloes are led by a digital creation named Kirk Patrick, clearly a stand-in for Sanders, with an A+ rating, while North Carolina is assigned Hector Luna, who holds a B+ rating in Belichick’s absence.
As shocking as it is to not have two of the most marketable CFB names in the game, the duo’s decision to opt out isn’t exactly surprising either.
For starters, Belichick has long avoided gaming franchises, famously skipping out on the Madden NFL series during his Patriots tenure. Deion Sanders, meanwhile, has always done things his own way, often shunning traditional paths.
That said, they’re not alone in sitting this one out either. Other notable head coaches who declined the offer from EA include Miami’s Mario Cristobal, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Stanford’s Frank Reich, and UAB’s Trent Dilfer, both with extensive NFL ties of their own.
Programs like Utah State, Western Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Louisiana-Monroe, New Mexico, and Kent State will also feature fictional coaches instead of the real faces leading those schools.
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Still, no exclusions loom quite as large as that of Deion Sanders and Bill Belichick, and unsurprisingly, their omission sparked immediate reactions across social media.
For many fans, finding the why behind the decision was crucial. As a result, many concluded that money may have been the deciding factor. “Why is that? Too much money? They want?” wondered a fan. “Check not big enough?” another asked.
One fan, meanwhile, came up with their own conspiracy theory: “Code for they wanted more money, or the gf didn’t get in the game and shut it down.”
By girlfriend, this fan meant Jordon Hudson, Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, who has become a constant presence at UNC alongside him.
The rest, meanwhile, couldn’t get over how Marcus Freeman’s game rendition looked anything but him. ““Marcus Freeman” looks a lot more like Saquon Barkley,” observed a fan.
In the end, while many fans are disappointed, this feels right on brand for both. Because as far as Sanders and Belichick are concerned, they have bigger concerns in front of them.
While Coach Prime has all the pressure in the world to rebuild Colorado after losing Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter to the NFL, Belichick’s debut college season at North Carolina comes with massive intrigue, as the ACC looks wide open.
So, considering how competitive the duo is, it can be safely assumed that a virtual paycheck would have been the last thing on their minds.
