“I Still Need My Madden Rating Up”: Browns WR Jerry Jeudy Reminds Chad Johnson After Publicly Blaming Him for Low Ratings

As many may remember, Jets owner Woody Johnson reportedly vetoed a trade for Jerry Jeudy last season due to his low Madden rating. The decision sparked an outcry among Jets fans over how the team evaluates players. It also led to Jeudy playfully blaming Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, a Madden ratings adjuster, for the low grade.

Instead of caving to pressure and adjusting Jeudy’s rating, Ocho issued him a challenge. Amidst the controversy, Johnson reached out to the Browns wide receiver and told him he’d bump his overall grade up to 95 overall, but with one condition. Jeudy had to finish the last three games of the season strong.

And he stuck to his word — Ocho still hasn’t adjusted Jeudy’s rating because Jeudy struggled in one of those final three games, logging just two catches for 20 yards against the Bengals in Week 16. But the Browns man doesn’t seem to care about the last three games, as he’s still playfully pressing Ocho to make an adjustment.

Jeudy joined Up & Adams to share his thoughts on the ordeal and told Johnson he still wants to see his rating bumped. He also joked that his low rating was the reason he ended up in Cleveland, where he had his first Pro Bowl season — hinting that it might not have happened in New York. So, in the end, he was grateful too.

“If my Madden rating was higher I’d probably be with the Jets. But I wouldn’t have had the season I had with the Cleveland Browns. But other than that, I still need my Madden rating up… Ocho better tighten up. If you’re watching this, make it go up.”

Jeudy’s current Madden rating is still the same as it was at the time: 84. Seasoned Madden players might argue that for his overall career, the rating is warranted. But there was a point during 2024 when Jeudy was playing like a player rated 85+. 

From Week 8 through Week 15, Jeudy totaled 49 catches for 786 yards and three TDs. He was the primary receiver that Jameis Winston looked to during the mid-season surge from the Browns. It was the most electric stretch we’ve seen from Jeudy since 2022.

But let’s not get it twisted: Jeudy isn’t a 95-rated receiver for good reason. The 90s ratings are reserved for the elite players in the league. Think of guys like Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. While Jeudy had a solid stretch of games last season, that doesn’t mean he deserves to be bumped into the elite wideout category.

However, if he can carry his hot streak over into 2025, Jeudy could be on his way to a 90+ overall rating. Either way, though, he doesn’t seem too bothered by it. Jeudy made it clear to Adams that he loves where he is currently. 

“I mean, it didn’t happen, I’m a Cleveland Brown. I’m happy to be a Cleveland Brown, you know? God had other plans. Even if it was because my Madden rating wasn’t high enough, hey, everything happens for a reason.”

A good mindset for Jeudy to have to go into 2025. We’ll see if he can get that rating up. Maybe it’ll make other owners around the league think about trading for him.