Madden 25 is officially out, which means it’s high time you get in and throw, run, and catch the ball with ease. If you’re doing the latter, there are more than a few ways to do it, and they each work differently. Using the wrong catch type at a certain point can totally derail a play and leave you with an incompletion or worse. That’s why it’s imperative to know how to catch.
How to catch the ball
There are four catch types in Madden 25, with one of them being a brand-new control.
| Catch | Xbox | PlayStation |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive Catch | Y | Triangle |
| Run After Catch | X | Square |
| Possession Catch | A | Cross |
| One-Handed Catch (New) | LB | :1 |
The last catch doesn’t really bring anything except style points to the table and it is risky. However, this new feature allows you to attempt a highlight reel on every single catch attempt if you want to. To do this, simply hold LB on Xbox or L1 on PlayStation.
The other three make a big difference in how the play transpires. The Aggressive Catch option (Y on Xbox, Triangle on PlayStation) is for when you throw a jump ball. Usually, this is when the wide receiver is running a short fade route to the end zone, and you are just tossing it up and hoping that his OVR ratings will let him come down with it.
Use Y or Triangle for Aggressive Catch. Image captured by VideoGamer
The Possession Catch option (A on Xbox, Cross on PlayStation) is the safest one. This has more than a few scenarios in which it’s needed. If you’re making a sideline catch, you absolutely need to use the Possession Catch. If you’re throwing into traffic and your receiver is going to get hit hard, use this one. They will slide down as catching the ball, likely avoiding the hit and securing the completion.
The Run After Catch option (X on Xbox, Square on PlayStation) is for when you’re wide open. It’s the quickest way to keep running with the ball once you catch it. The Aggressive Catch will run once you hit the ground and the Possession Catch will go no further. Unless you have space to keep moving, you should probably avoid this one.
If you use the wrong catch type, you can throw the whole thing off. If you try an Aggressive Catch while wide open, you will allow the defender to catch up to you. What’s worse, your receiver will likely be in the air and subject to a big hit that can jar the ball loose. Using the RAC option when you’re on the sideline makes it a whole lot harder to get two feet in bounds. The Possession Catch’s only downside is that you might not get as many yards as you theoretically could have. This is true across all game modes.
